"What age should my kid get a phone?" doesn't have one right answer — readiness varies more than age does. A more useful question is what the phone is for, and what agreement comes with it.
Signs of readiness
Following through on existing responsibilities, honesty about where they are and what they're doing online, and the ability to put it down when asked are better indicators than a birthday.
Making the agreement clear
- Write down the basics together — where it charges at night, which apps are allowed, what happens if trust is broken.
- Start with more limits than you think you need. It's far easier to loosen rules later than to tighten them after the fact.
- Keep checking in, not just checking up. Regular casual conversations about what they're seeing online teach more than surveillance alone.
- Model it yourself. Kids notice a phone-down rule that only applies to them.