According to Judy Arnall, the author of Parenting with Patience – also said to be a parenting expert – on average, kids get their first smartphone at the age of 10-years-old. However, exposure to smartphones begins much earlier than that. It is quite common to see a toddler strapped in their stroller but wielding a smartphone. It is also quite common to see preschoolers sited at a restaurant utterly oblivious of their surroundings because they are zoned out in front of a tablet.
Smartphones will overtake your child’s life
Many parents who try to keep their kids away from smartphones are concerned about the addictive nature of apps. That ranges from social media apps like Instagram and Facebook to mobile gaming apps. These applications are quite addictive and could easily take over the attention of the child.
Often when kids get a smartphone for the first time, they struggle with control. They will spend much of their time on the device, and there is a significant risk of them altogether abandoning their previous fun activities.
So what’s the Right Age to give your Kid a Smartphone?
The million-dollar question; when should I give my kid a smartphone? Well, the answer is not as easy as saying at age 10 or seven. It all depends on how mature your kid is and if they are able to follow your instructions on when and how to use their smartphone. Some kids get to that stage much earlier than others. Meaning there is no blanket appropriate age.
mSpy – Your reliable Parental Control tool
We can debate all we want about when or whether to give our kids smartphones, but at an individual level things work out differently. There are parents who gave their kids smartphones too early and ended up with no regrets. There are those who gave them smartphones at an ‘appropriate’ age have always regretted that decision.
Luckily, technology has given parents the ability to monitor their kids’ devices remotely through Parental Control tools. This article will introduce you to mSpy, a leading parental control tool that will enable you to monitor your kid’s device remotely. That way, you will always be in the know of what your kids do on their device, how long they use the device, restrict the content you would not want them consuming, and limit time spent on the device.
With mSpy, you can always have information on activities happening on your kid’s smartphone, including:
Phone history tracker: monitoring their calls, reading Sent/Received SMS
Monitor their chats across social media, including WhatsApp IM log, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram, Skype, and Telegram.
Geo-Fencing
Current GPS Location
Control what apps can be installed
Keylogger
View Photos/Videos in the Gallery
Monitor browsing history, block certain websites, get keywords alerts, limit time spent online
You can check out the full catalog of parental control feature that the mSpy app has to offer