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Kids Who Get Smartphones Before This Age Are Doomed

Kids who got their first smartphone before this age are more likely to experience aggression and emotional instability.

It’s safe to say that Gen Z got their first smartphone the youngest of any generation, mostly because they didn’t become popular and accessible until 2008.

And while many parents do their best to protect children from what they view on their devices, it might be the age they access it that matters more than anything.

Smartphones are rewiring our kid’s brains.

It’s not uncommon to see a seven-year-old navigate an iPhone like they had the skills to do so fresh out of the womb.

But it seems that the age a child has their first smartphone has a severe impact on the trajectory of their life, according to a new study published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.

The study tracked over 100,000 young adults, and found a simple, yet disturbing, trend.

It was found that the earlier kids got smartphones, the worse their mental health outcomes were later on.

But there’s one specific age that mattered more.

Chief scientist Tara Thiagarajan explained that children who are exposed to smartphones at an early age, are more likely to experience aggression, emotional instability, a disconnection from reality, and even hallucinations.

It’s true that no child’s brain is built for the constant bombardment of news and notifications – but alas, neither are adults.

ABC News’ Dr. Tara Narula also said on Good Morning America: “The longer we can push off allowing our kids to be on social media, we are learning, the better.

“I think lots of families are getting creative – landlines and flip phones for kids may be an option, so that they can have access to communicating without all the other things that come with smartphones.”

It was revealed in the study that parents should not be dishing out smartphones to any child under the age of 13.

Thiagarajan is calling for sweeping policy changes, including restrictions on under-13 access.

She noted: “Ideally, children should not have a smartphone until age 14, and when they do get a smartphone, parents should take the time to discuss with their children how to interact on the Internet and explain the consequences of doing various things.”

But it’s also on parents to demonstrate to their children how we can use social media and smartphones sensibly.

Pediatrician Dr. Natasha Burgert, speaking to ABC News, explained: “Children watch everything you do – and that doesn’t stop until they leave your house.

“Connect authentically and meaningfully for a few minutes every day, and show your children that the humans we live with are more important and worthy of our attention than our phones.”

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