It's a debate you might be having in your home right now: At what age should I get my child a smartphone?
There's a growing movement across the country to hold off until your child is at least in the eighth grade. Brooke Shannon of Austin Texas helped start the "Wait Until 8th" campaign. She told 5 On Your Side more than 8,000 families have signed the pledge.
The goal is to have families take a stand together so there's no pressure on a parent to get their child a smartphone because another kid in the class has one. The website states the pledge is for smartphones, not basic phones used just for talking and texting.
If you're family doesn't want to wait, maybe a written contract might be just the thing. Sarah Howell, who lives in the Fenton area, is the mom of a blended family: five-year-old twins, a 10-year-old son and a 13-year-old stepdaughter. The two oldest children have smartphones but had to sign a contract with their parents in order to get one. It gives clear guidelines the kids must follow.
"I know my rules, my boundaries, what I can and can't do. There's strict lines, It's not like 'oh it doesn't say this,' No, it really says 'don't do that,'" said Howell's stepdaughter Maddie.
The contract also lets the kids know that they're phones are being monitored by their parents.
"It is so important to monitor a kid’s phone ... They know we monitor them. We can see their websites and we have parental controls. I can even see if they delete a text, I get an alert," Howell said.
Howell said she realizes that her methods might not be right fit for other families, but she likes the idea of embracing the technology with plenty of supervision rather than banning it until a certain age.
"Tech is in their faces every day and as a mom it’s hard for me to ignore and not teach it," Howell said. "It's also a great way for child to show you they are responsible and for them to grow and explore their interest."
