One of the questions I get most from parents is, “When should I give my child a phone?” I always respond with the same question, “How will you know when they are mature enough to handle it?”
Giving children a device shouldn’t depend on age. Children develop in different ways, and some take more time to handle certain things than others. To make sure your child is ready for a tech device, considering asking yourself these questions:
- “Does my child generally listen to me when I ask them to do things?”
- “Will my child listen to me when I ask them to stop using X device?”
- “Does my child complete chores/homework/other basic expectations without excessive prompting?”
- “Does my child have the knowledge and skills to know when something is dangerous?”
- “Does my child engage in other fulfilling activities?”
If the answers to these questions are no, consider ways you can teach your child the skills necessary to handle some type of tech. And the answers are mostly yes, have conversations about what needs to happen in order for them to get and continue using that device.
