Ask yourself these six questions before buying your child a phone

It’s only a matter of time before parents face the decision of whether or not to buy their child or teen a phone.

However, Beatrice Moise, a Board-Certified Cognitive Specialist and parenting coach has said it’s extremely important to ensure they are ready for the responsibility of owning a phone.

With so much harmful content at their fingertips with a smartphone, gauging their maturity around the responsibility that comes with technology is imperative.

Ms. Moise says you should ask yourself, developmentally, do they understand what tech is for?

"If you give a baby a smartphone, they may instinctively put it in their mouth.A 5-year-old might draw on a tablet, thinking it’s a colouring book or a piece of paper."

So, to gauge your child’s phone readiness developmentally, consider the following:

• Can your child explain what a smartphone is, how it’s used and its purpose?
• Do they understand that using tech has a time and place, and that it should not be a constant presence?
• Can they explain why they want a smartphone? For example, to stay connected to family and friends through phone calls, texts and video chats.
• Do they understand that using too much technology can affect a person’s anxiety and mental health?
• Does their technology use affect their sleep habits? Are they staying up too late to watch movies or other screens?
• You should also measure their maturity level by asking yourself ‘can they follow the rules?’

Moise said it’s natural that kids make mistakes. "Their ability to talk about those mistakes shows an increased maturity level, and it establishes trust in the parent-child relationship.

"This maturity also plays a key role in their readiness for a smartphone. If they’re struggling to own up to their mistakes at home and school, it could be even more of a struggle if they’re given technology."

The parenting coach went on to say parents should consider these signs of increased maturity before making the smartphone decision:

• When they make a mistake, they admit to it easily
• They’re following rules at school
• They’re also following rules at home

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