It’s probably the most frequently asked question that I’ve been asked in my 45 years on this planet.
Having a 13 year old daughter means this has been a regular topic of conversation for the last 12-18 months.
Did you know both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs raised their children tech-free?
Two of the biggest technology business owners limited their kids exposure to tech.
14 was the age that they let their kids start to engage with tech.
Even then there were limits on how much screen time they would have.
I found that fact fascinating, interesting and a little worrying.
When is the right age? What’s the right phone? How much screen time do they get?
We’re one month into teenage phone ownership and it’s been an interesting journey.
Here are a few things that have worked well.
No phones upstairs overnight
// I’ve also agreed to do this with her
Limited the number of apps on the phone initially
// No social media to begin with
Her first phone is a hand me down
// It’s likely to get lost or dropped at some point
Google Family Link is brilliant
// This gives you control over apps, screen time, browser restrictions, etc
Shop around for a good basic tariff
// We went for Tesco Mobile 2GB for £7.50 a month
Photography as a new hobby
// My daughter has found a real passion for nature photography
// She took the image accompanying this post with her phone
