Best Age to Give Your Kid a Phone?

All the thoughts you’ve had but felt you couldn’t share at church. We asked a group of teenagers, “What age should parents let their kids have phones?” Were they able to sway each other’s opinion?

Switch students meet to share their thoughts on challenging topics without adults to critique their conclusions. Conversations range from divorce to immigration laws to celebrity news. Check back each month for a new episode.

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[michaellane]

Got my first phone at 16 in 2004; glad it wasn’t any younger!

[adrianhummel]

Got my first phone when I turned 18. I realized I was old enough so I just went and got one. 😂😂

[drpragathirealhomeopathy]

I got my phone when I was 16, I'm from India. Nice watching you guys have this conversation...

[bethburns]

Such a great conversation! And I was really impressed that they even discussed the fact that when they are parents there will be NEW problems to solve for their own children, that they themselves didn't face as children. Insightful.

[taiwoo]

All the way from Nigeria and I'll just say the world is truly a global village. Having a phone at a young age and being active on social media makes you exposed to a false side of the world. Makes you have a wrong impression of life and puts you in unnecessary pressure because you will always want to have a sense of belonging in the social crowd. In the long run, you're chasing nothing 😟

[rabahawadallah]

I believe you should not buy your kids a smart phone at all . Let them buy their own when they can afford it. Because the phone would take them away from you to a world you don’t know anything about. Then you won’t be able to bring them back.

[Buff_cat]

when you literally steal your moms phone at 4 because you wanna take pictures.

[jarcohen]

All the kids had great pints especially when social media has a big impact on teenagers and even some young adults so u have to be very cautious. Also that iOS and android phones do have good parental controls and even some apps are pretty good for that as well

[residentgomez]

I got my first phone before I was born.
I communicated with my mom it better not some piece of crap phone.
I still remember the nurse putting the phone next to my newborn head then giving me to my mom.

[ashleybecnel]

I was 13 and my mom mainly wanted me to be able to contact her bc I did a bunch after school activities

[knayst]

when i was three, i was playing with my moms phone, and then i said "where is MY phone". -and yeah its been my phone ever since. love you mom

[AK_Anne]

I got my first iPad which is pretty much the same thing when I was 3

[IronSwordRBLX]

I got one like a few months before I turned 13.

[shreyamtiwari]

I am 15 and havent tot my first phone yet

[ochukorita]

I got my first one at 6 because I had to communicate with my mum at childminders but my actual phone at 11

[ChoiReim]

I’ll have my kids watching kids show on the TV and give them a smartphone at 15 or 16. And maybe an tablet when they’re younger for max 2 hours.

[andreww]

I got an Ipad at 5 and a phone at 7. I'm 13 now and I think it was a good age

[yetus]

I'm 11
At a restaurant I asked my parents if I could get a phone when I turned 12 or 13 and my dad laughed and my mom started screaming at me in Spanish saying that I'm so ungrateful and she told me a hundred times that I can't have a phone until I'm 16 so yeah

5 more years to go....😔

[Ratboy]

I would give my child a phone at like 9 because I want them to be able to contact me no matter what so they can be safe just don't allow them to have social media and put on parental controls.

[Xestiya]

I got my phone when I turned 14...but it doesn't have any data and it's been over a year. So, it basically just a phone except no mobile data (meaning no calling..etc) I can only use it with WiFi and I'm fine with it though...but I need a number so I can get a job...