What's The Ideal Age For My Child's First iPhone?

In a society where technology is growing faster than children, it’s your duty as a parent to establish technological maturity and awareness with your child from an early age. It’s time for parents to erase the fear of handing their child an iPhone and replace that fear with proactiveness and education. Of course, there are dangers with giving your child an iPhone but so is allowing your child to ride a bike, walk to school, and pop fireworks. Yet, as a parent, you don’t revoke these freedoms but instead, you mentor your child and show them how to be responsible enough to enjoy those activities. The same attitude should be applied when considering giving your child an iPhone. Although there isn’t a required age for children to receive an iPhone the best-suggested age would be preteens around age 12 to be specific.
When making decisions such as these most parents fail to take a step back and look at things from their child’s perspective. According to a study done by NPR.org,

“Just over half of children in the United States — 53 percent — now own a smartphone by the age of 11,”(Kamenetz). 

One of the most important things about childhood is feeling included, not only does the iPhone help solve this issue but most children feel as if having an iPhone increases their popularity and social status. Not only does your child feel included but their new device also offers them the ability to establish a sense of individuality as they develop their own first impression of the world around them. Now as a parent your child associates the same sense of togetherness they had when learning to ride a bike or use the restroom as they will have with technological freedom and responsibilities. By giving your preteen an iPhone it only enhances the opportunity to further engrave responsible cell phone habits that they will practice in middle school, high school, college, etc.  Children with efficient parental guidance and limited exposure tend to be more responsible later on in life as compared to those without proper guidance.
Although your kid’s opinion matters, the decision solely comes down to your perspective as a parent. Many parents only focus on the harms of technology despite the fact that there are copious amounts of parental and personal benefits. Not only can parents help the child establish responsibilities by giving your child an iPhone but it helps you manage the level of exposure they receive. For example, there are tons of apps that help parents control and supervise texts, apps, transactions, and even the amount of time your kids spend on technology. You can literally buy your child the most up to date technology at an affordable price, while still establishing important parental techniques. An iPhone is a perfect device that gives parents the perfect leverage needed in order to show their child important life lessons whether it’s taking the device when they misbehave or being able to reward them when they are technologically responsible. Another benefit that comes with giving your preteen a chance to prove they deserve an iPhone is the peace of mind that comes with them being occupied by something they love. Not to mention, you would enjoy the one or two hour break while your kid interacts with their phone.