When Should You Buy Your Child a Cellphone -- Parents Weigh In

 By 
Kenneth Rosen
 on 
When Should You Buy Your Child a Cellphone -- Parents Weigh In
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With school back in full swing there's one thing your child is more than likely talking about with their friends: who's got a cellphone? And if they don't already have one, they likely asking you, "Can I have a cellphone?"

Experts say there's no one age that's right. Ultimately, whether a child is ready for a phone is something only a parent can determine, based on their child's maturity level and the needs of the family.

Mashable asked parents what they thought was an appropriate age for their child to first own a cellphone and we got over 500 responses. About 66% of you said the right age is somewhere between 11-14 years old.

There is a range, however. 12% of those who responded to our poll said they bought their child's first cellphone between the ages of 5-8, and 6% said they waited until their kids were 17-18 years old.

You can weigh in on our poll here. Let us know in the comments if you agree with our findings.

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