Is your child ready for a smart device?
Parents across the Peel Region are tipped to buy their kids a smartphone for Christmas this year.
New research from Telstra suggests 12 year-olds are the most likely to unwrap a smart device with 24 per cent of parents saying it's the right age to get their first device.
Almost two thirds of parents said the main reason for giving their child a phone was to keep them safe out of the home.
But Head of the Telstra Foundation Jackie Coates said Mums and Dads are concerned about online safety too.
“The truth is there is no right age or right way, every child and every family is different." she said.
"We’re seeing the emergence of the ‘connected family’ and ‘connected independence’ for young people."
Telstra has developed printable resources to help families set out smartphone ground rules together.
"58 per cent of parents said phones made it easier to connect with their family members than when they were children themselves."
According to the telco 1200 Australian parents participated in the research.
Hear more advice from Jackie Coates below.
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