Best age to give a kid their personal smartphone

Hello Everyone,
We are in a digital age, some call it computer age, where technology has made everything so easy for everyone, smartphones and social media have become an important and inevitable part of our lives.

Source

I can remember vividly my first ever phone when I was young, was actually an Alcatel phone, I inherited it from my mom, I'm not really sure if that brand of phone still existed though, but the experience and feeling of owning a phone then is quite overwhelming for me, the burst of Joy in my soul,I was just 13 years old by that time and it feels like I own the whole world, though I'm not really sure if I have a SIM card as of that time, about the Alcatel phone, basically the phone has all the basics features of the oldies, call logs, calendar, games, phone calls and text messages, series of midi ringtones. Unlike these modern days smartphone, that contains basically every media features and internet.

As a parent, in Nigeria especially, one of the most pressing concerns is determining the right age for your child to own a smartphone and social media account. There are many things to look out for While giving the attention to this issue, just so you know that there's no one-size-fits-all answer.

What Are the things we take into Considerations?

Can the kid handle the responsibilities and potential risks associated with smartphone and social media use?
Most of the time if the parents are not careful, their kids can easily fall a prey of sexual predators on the internet, also scammers. You have to painstakingly study your child and monitor the way your kids use the phone.

Ensure you know the purpose why your child wants a smartphone for,
Why does your child need a smartphone and social media account? Is it for socialization, education, or entertainment?
Let that be clearly noted.

The parents must ensure they monitor their children.
In today's world, people are always busy, on the go with limited time.
Parents Should create enough time for their kids to monitor their phone usage and internet activities.
Are you prepared as a parent to monitor and guide your child's online activities? If not kindly erase the plan of getting a smartphone for your kids so as to avoid challenges in the future.
Giving your kid a smartphone can have the advantages and Disadvantages

some of the advantages is that: the kids will have an Enhanced social connections and relationships, talking and relating to people around the world, He or She will easily have Access to educational resources and information,
Owning a smartphone can also aid in Developing digital skills and literacy

About the disadvantages , I talked about most of them up in the start of this post:
There are many disadvantages like exposure to Cyberbullying and online harassment,inappropriate content (like pornography) and online predators

Source
But What exactly Is the Best Age to give a kid a smartphone?
Age 15 should be a good age to buy them smartphone, but they can actually own a phone as early as 9 years old, they can be given those small touchlight phone, with limited features.

In conclusion
If you're thinking of getting a smartphone and social media account for your child, make sure you Set Boundaries*: Establish clear rules, warn them about the fact that you can collect the phone back immediately you notice them default,also Monitor the online Activities, Educate them and also be a role model to them, I strongly believe that 15 years old is the best year for giving the kids a smart phone.

Here is the response to #hl-w167e1

Thank you for visiting my blog, do have a great week♥️