At what age should children have mobile?

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At what age should a child have the first cell phone ?, with what uses ?, what type of device ?, how long to use? ... These are some of the questions that most worry parents today when their offspring reach a certain age. The constant and growing presence of technology in our society has led to an earlier request for a mobile phone . Therefore, it is not strange that it is the most desired present at Christmas or birthday or that in the first communions it has become the gift par excellence.

Experts say that the question is not so much at what age ?, but that the approach should be , is my child prepared ?, what do you want it for? And with what uses? "Sometimes we ask ourselves what is the appropriate age to give children a mobile and we try to find an age that guarantees that they will not be exposed to risks or dangers. The problem is that these guarantees have not existed today, nor ever , in no area of ​​life. That is why we should focus more on whether our child is prepared and on teaching and educating them in good use, "says María Zabala, an expert in Digital Literacy and Citizenship and a member of The Digital Citizenship Institute (USA) .

"You must take into account the character of the child (his maturity), the type of family (needs) and the device we provide (limited functions, etc.). The mobile should not be like an 'amusement park', because not everything is suitable for them. There are many options that are not only smart phones and even if it is a smartphone there are ways to configure them so that the child does not have absolute autonomy and can do everything he wants, suitable or not for his age " , says Zabala.

It is also important to "focus on gradual access to technology and progressive digital autonomy ," says the expert. Although he assures that it is not about waiting at 16 or 17 years, "because then we will have lost some years of being able to positively influence them on the use of these devices," he warns.

My seven year old son wants a cell phone

According to the I Study on the access of young people to mobile phones in the Spanish market, made to 400 families of children between the ages of five and 12 by the Norwegian company Xplora, specialized in smart-phone phones for minors, 60 % of these ask for their first mobile phone before age 9 .

The tranquility , reveals the report, which means being in contact with the children (communication, location ...) is the factor that most encourages parents to buy this device, while accessing inappropriate content or coming into contact with Certain people without parental supervision are some of the parents' biggest concerns. Also, the most valued feature when choosing the first phone is that it has parental control.

"The age at which they ask for the first mobile phone has evolved. In the study we see that already 30% of children up to seven years want a mobile device and if we ascend to the age of 10 years, up to 78% will He has requested his parents. The main battle now is the parents fighting between the tranquility of being able to communicate with their children and the fears that they can access risk content for them, "explains Jesús Llamazares, CEO of the Xplora company, which states that, "according to the study, the average age at which children have their first mobile is around twelve and a half years."

Recommendations before giving them your first mobile

Beyond age, the technology and family specialist, María Zabala, in collaboration with Xplora, has developed a decalogue with interesting recommendations to consider before placing a mobile device in the hands of a child. The goal is to guide parents on how to introduce technology to minors safely in internet times.

1. DEFINE THE PURPOSE

The first thing to keep in mind is that each family is different and has different customs, convictions or needs. If you are thinking that your children have a mobile, think about whether they need it or it is you who needs it . Reflect on the purpose of that device and the real advantages or disadvantages. There may be family circumstances that require that communication or need for location. Maybe you just want a progressive learning option for when, later, there is a mobile phone in your hands.

Depending on the variables, think about the family and why that device is needed. Do it with consistency, not only taking into account the opinions of others and social pressure. Parents receive two types of pressures. One comes from the children themselves when they constantly repeat 'mom I want mobile, I am the last of my class and I have no social life'. And the other, by the other parents and society in general, since we are labeled worse or better parents depending on the age we give the mobile to our children. Make the decision thinking about your needs or interests as a family.

2. THINK ABOUT CHILDREN

Think about how your son is and your relationship, his age and even his hobbies. All this will influence how you use a mobile phone and the conflicts that may arise. Think of your own digital profile, because what the child sees at home will influence their own technological life .

Because it is not the same as your son being sedentary and shy to be active and outgoing. It is not the same as five, eight or 13 years old. It is not the same as having many different hobbies that the only thing you like is watching TV. It is not the same that I spend a lot of time alone at home to always be with you. It is not the same if you always look at your mobile or if you do not want to hear about video games or networks. Children are not going to think about all this; adults are us and it is our responsibility to give our children the experiences they really need .

3. POWER A GRADUAL ACCESS

Before making the decision to put a mobile device in the hands of your children, think about what relationship it has - if any - with other aspects of technology. There are children without a mobile phone who already have a hard time leaving the console and children without a mobile phone who spend hours watching videos. There are children who respect house rules and others who skip them as soon as they can. If your child's first contact with devices with the possibility of communicating is already a smartphone, the options will be endless and he will not know how to manage them .

Think about whether there are already brothers with mobile phones at home, or if you leave yours yours every time they ask. Technology comes to the lives of our children, in most cases, because we decide, so gradually opening the experience , with other devices more suitable for their age, as in everything, is essential.

4. MAKE THE DECISION

Children learn to ask very soon. And it is the educators who are deciding how to manage their access to different experiences or things based on multiple variables. It is the fathers and mothers who make the decision to incorporate a mobile phone into their lives . Choosing the moment, avoiding the response to a tantrum or a whim, not associating the delivery of the device with a gift. And very important: be part of us, clearly, how we would like our children to use the device.

5. KNOW THE ALTERNATIVES

50% of 11-year-old Spanish children have their own Smartphone (INE). And yes, it seems that when it is decided that the child has a mobile, the first option is always a smartphone. But there is more. Depending on your needs or interests, inform yourself, because you can be in contact with your child or know where he is or respond to his requests in many different ways.

When they are small, an interesting option may be smart watches with SIM card and, as they grow, the market offers us different alternatives in terms of devices (again smartwatches and other possibilities), and not all are the same or implicitly a message of total autonomy and open connectivity.

6. SHARE SOME RULES

Education is based on many things. The example, the dialogue, the listening ... and also the rules and limits . If, as with other aspects of family life, we are consistent from the beginning regarding the relationship with technology, we will have a better chance that the use of it - especially by the little ones - will be balanced and positive, based In healthy habits.

When parents introduce technology into children's life, whether through content or devices, it is essential to talk with them about standards that make them feel involved, that are simple to remember and assume and that are consistent with what they see in House. It is about generating a balance and a conversation from listening, and not only from alarm and scolding.

7. FAVOR A PROGRESSIVE AUTONOMY

What will the child do with the device? What decisions will you have to make and what are the rules that you have agreed? It is not the same that you can only look at a screen that can only send you messages or call you to also browse the Internet or access social networks and streaming platforms on your own. Make your children gain digital autonomy in line with the autonomy you already grant them in their analogue life.

8. CHOOSE THE ENVIRONMENTS

Depending on the age and character of the children and how you are as a family, deciding in which digital environments the child will move is essential. The constant availability of screens makes us go out less, move less or even get worse. Hence the importance of finding content and activities that are compatible with what our children really need. Learning in the use of technology, as in everything else, is a path full of experiences and decision making. Not all digital activities are designed for children and adolescents and not all content or devices are harmless, although it may perish otherwise.

9. OPEN CONVERSATION

Children and adolescents do not fear technology because they are not afraid to try new experiences. It attracts them because it is part of the world around them . But they really don't know more about technology than fathers and mothers. They need us to give context to what they see or read, that we contribute values ​​and help manage emotions, that we are willing to listen and teach, without prejudice.

10. PREPARE TO BE GREATER

At the gates of adolescence or already in full puberty, when the family is ready for the child to have a smatphone, again it is very important to choose the delivery time and the model. Do not transfer the same message that this smartphone is new and last generation to be inherited or released. Nor is it the same as having unlimited mobile data to make connectivity without Wi-Fi more limited. It is not the same that at home there is an open Internet bar and lack of basic rules to have a certain family digital culture that helps the adolescent to make decisions about how much, when, how or where he uses the device.

Finally, it is not the same as that mobile is configured for a minor than for an adult . And of course, at this point, whatever the device, environment and technology format our children use, the importance of continuing to speak and listen remains unquestionable, previously supporting that communication on devices focused on early ages, such as SIM card clock / phone clock or other available devices.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project