Survey aims to help parents decide when kids should get a smartphone

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The creators of a new questionnaire hope it will help parents decide what is the appropriate age for their child to have a smartphone.

That questionnaire was put together by AT&T and the American Academy of Pediatrics. It features questions like:

• Who is initiating the conversation about getting a smartphone?
• Does your kid need a smartphone for safety?
• Do they respect time limits on other devices at home?

By the end of the 10 questions, hopes are that parents will have a better idea of whether they and their children are “phone ready.”

According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, nearly one in five parents of a child younger than 12 years old said their child owns a smartphone.

More than half of parents whose young child owns one said they got the device between the ages of nine and 11, researchers said.

For at least one Charlotte parent, he plans to shield his young children from smartphone use.

“I really don’t think that a 10-year-old has the wisdom at that point to decide … is what I’m seeing, is that something that is helpful or harmful? And so I would want to shield them from that age,” parent Joel Cook said.

The AT&T questionnaire can be found here.

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