A shocking amount of kids own a mobile phone by this young age

Have you given in to pester power and bought your under-10 a mobile phone? If you have, it seems you are not alone...

A new survey carried out by phone-case manufacturer Peli has revealed that 18 percent of young children, aged between six and eight, now own their own mobile phone. Ownership rises to nearly 20 percent for children aged between nine and 11 - with over 50 percent of children over the age of 13 now owning a phone. Even, children who don't own their own phone are regularly borrowing their parents' mobile device. Estefania Fenoy, the company's marketing director, says that parents don't usually share their mobile devices with kids for speaking to someone:

"Parents loan their smartphones to keep their children occupied. Over 20 percent of parents in the research said they loaned their phones to their children at restaurants; 18 percent in a doctor's or dentist's waiting room; and 22 percent generally when outside the home. Only 29 percent of respondents said they did not loan their mobile to their children, with the majority passing it out for at least a little while."

In terms of time, parents allow their children to use their phone for a range of time: time ranges from 49 percent saying they allow use for one hour a week; 33 percent up to five hours a week; 10 percent five to 10 hours a week; 2.5 percent allow 10-15 hours a week; and 4 percent allow over 15 hours a week. Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie