It's a familiar scene in households across the country: pre-teens pleading with parents for their first smartphone, often citing the fact that "everyone else has one." And they're not entirely wrong - a Pew Research Survey found that almost 60% of kids ages 11 to 12 already own smartphones. But before you hand over that device, new research suggests you should think twice about the timing.
A recent study published in Pediatrics has revealed concerning findings about early smartphone ownership. Children who received a smartphone before age 12 were at significantly higher risk for three major health issues:
Perhaps most troubling: the earlier a child received their smartphone, the greater these health risks became, particularly for obesity and sleep problems. Even children who acquired phones between ages 12 and 13 showed worse mental health and sleep patterns compared to their peers who remained phone-free at 13.
"The takeaway for parents is to treat the decision to give kids their first smartphone as one that has health implications," says Dr. Ran Barzilay, a child-adolescent psychiatrist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and co-author of the study.
Dr. Leah Brogan, a psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, puts it bluntly: "Smartphones are heralded as a remarkable innovation of the 21st century permeating all facets of our global culture, yet they are also potentiating grave risks to youths' lifelong mental and physical wellbeing."
She recommends parents approach smartphone decisions with the same seriousness they would other health and safety measures—like sunscreen before sun exposure, helmets while biking, or seatbelts in vehicles. The stakes are similar, even if the risks are less immediately visible.
There's no magic number that works for every child, but experts agree on some general guidelines.
"I don't think there is a ubiquitous 'ideal' age for every child," says Brogan. "My general recommendation is to consider smartphones once a child reaches high school. As the study findings show, smartphone possession prior to age 13 has detrimental consequences."
That means waiting until at least age 14 or 15 for most kids—significantly later than many parents currently choose.
Before handing over a smartphone, Brogan suggests evaluating your child across three dimensions:
Look at whether your child is engaged in meaningful activities away from screens. This doesn't need to be formal sports or clubs—any way that your child makes time to be playful, have fun, and interact with peers and adults in real life is vital. These activities deepen their sense of self-worth and belonging in the real world, not the virtual one.
Just as you expect your child to brush their teeth twice daily, a healthy relationship with technology requires following a clear routine. Can your child stick to designated phone-free times? Will they respect charging station rules at night? Their ability to maintain structure in other areas of life is a good predictor of how they'll handle smartphone boundaries.
It's crucial that kids know how to express distress and seek support through non-screen methods. Children who turn to the virtual world for direction and validation may find information that isn't always valid or reliable. Before getting a smartphone, your child should have solid skills for communicating their feelings face-to-face.
Don't panic if you've already given your child a phone! There are effective strategies to minimize the risks:
Help your child understand that restrictions aren't about control—they're about health. Explain the research and have an honest conversation about how smartphones can affect sleep, mental health, and physical wellbeing.
"Don't just give them a smartphone and forget about it," warns Dr. Barzilay. Follow up consistently about how the phone affects their lifestyle, sleep, exercise, and time with friends and family offline.
Rules only work when everyone follows them—especially parents. "If that means no phones at dinner, that means no phones at dinner!" says Brogan. Other important boundaries include keeping phones out of bedrooms and placing them in a charger at night (never under pillows).
Make time for phone-free family activities, particularly physical exercise and outdoor pursuits. When parents model this behavior, children follow suit.
This may be the most important guideline. "Helping our kids to change their relationships with phones requires us, as parents and caregivers, to examine our own relationship with our phones," says Brogan.
Being "present" doesn't mean just physical proximity while scrolling through your own device. It means eye contact, acknowledging what your kids say, engaging them in conversation, and being active with them. Your children are watching your every move.
The research is clear: smartphone ownership before age 13 poses real health risks to children, affecting everything from mental health to sleep to physical fitness. While there's no perfect age that applies to every child, waiting until high school—around age 14 or 15—appears to be the safest approach for most families.
If you do choose to give your child a smartphone earlier, or if they already have one, implementing strong family guidelines and maintaining open communication can help minimize the potential harm. The key is treating this decision with the gravity it deserves—not as a rite of passage or a convenience, but as a significant health decision that will impact your child's wellbeing for years to come.
In an era where digital connectivity seems essential, sometimes the most connected thing you can do for your child is to help them stay connected to the real world just a little bit longer.
