Before You Give Your Child Their First Smartphone, Do These 6 Things

A child’s first smartphone brings new independence along with responsibilities involving privacy, screen time, online safety, and healthy digital habits. Setting clear expectations before handing over the device can help families avoid problems later. (Unsplash).

Giving a child their first smartphone can solve a practical problem—suddenly they can call after practice, text when plans change, and reach you in an emergency. But it also places apps, messaging, cameras, location sharing, purchases, strangers, and a nearly unlimited internet connection in their pocket. Smartphone access is nearly universal among teenagers: Pew Research Center found 95% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 had access to one in 2024. And the transition is beginning much earlier for some families, with Common Sense Media’s 2025 census finding nearly one in four children had a personal cellphone by age 8. Before activating a child’s first smartphone, parents can make six decisions that may prevent some of the biggest arguments and safety problems later.

1. Decide Whether Your Child Needs a Smartphone—or Just a Phone