It's a problem parents with teens and pre-teens all have to handle these days: "At what age should my kid get a cell phone?"
No doubt they're useful, but the age of social media that we're in is a legitimate cause for concern. Parents often have no idea what they're kids are exposed to when they go online.
A group of scientists have determined that the minimum age kids should get a phone and be on social media is 13-years-old.
According to ZME Science, the researchers based their findings on three main factors:
1. Poor sleep. They're way more likely to lie in bed scrolling. The study found it's true even if they don't have social media, just a phone.
2. Cyberbullying. And not just from other kids. Being online exposes them to all kinds of hate.
3. Poor family relationships. Once they have the internet in their hands, they start drifting away from other family members.
Even though they say the minimum age is 13, the researchers even recommend waiting until your child is 16 before giving them their own phone.
Maybe that's enough time for your kids to realize that EVERYTHING they see on social media is a lie. Kids (and some adults) have a hard time understanding that what they see on Instagram and TikTok is often not an accurate representation of the person that's posting it.
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