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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens

124: Encore: How and When Do I Give My Kid a Phone?

Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens

Dr. Lisa Damour/Reena Ninan

Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting, Mental Health

4.7 • 822 Ratings

🗓️ 23 June 2023

⏱️ 26 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What’s the right age to give a kid a smartphone? There’s no simple answer to this question, but guidelines we can bear in mind when kids - at increasingly young ages - ask for one. In this encore episode Dr. Lisa explains what to consider, and the conversations to have before and after you give your child a phone. ________________ Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday. AVAILABLE NOW: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Dr. Lisa Damour. Available at www.DrLisaDamour.com and everywhere books are sold. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @LDamour, @ReenaNinan Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources:  https://www.drlisadamour.com/ Ask Lisa is produced by:  Www.GoodTroubleProductions.com

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, I'm Rina Ninean and this is Ask Lisa, the Psychology of Parenting Podcast.

0:10.9

It's a podcast to help parents better understand their kids. Dr. Lisa DeMore, a psychologist with three

0:17.2

decades of experience, and the author of three New York Times best-selling parenting books

0:22.3

takes your questions.

0:23.7

Both of us are moms ourselves,

0:25.6

and we're eager to hear from you.

0:27.1

So send us your questions to Ask Lisa at Dr.Lisadamore.com

0:31.5

and join our community by following us

0:33.5

on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter

0:36.8

at Ask Lisa Podcast.

0:39.8

Oncore episode 124. How and when do I give my kid a phone?

0:46.8

What's the right age to give your kid the first smartphone? While there may not be a

0:51.3

specific set age, we do know kids start asking for them at a very young

0:55.1

age. In this encore episode, Dr. Lisa explains what to consider before and even after you give

1:01.8

your child their first phone. All right, I think the transition happens closer as you're finishing

1:08.0

elementary to middle school. My son's asking for a phone.

1:13.2

Yep, yep, you're right. You're probably right on time for that. Or at least for him to be asking.

1:17.8

Oh, okay. It doesn't make me happy. It's not the most fun moment in parenting. I can tell you that.

1:24.0

Thank you for acknowledging that. I feel good. We got this letter and it made me

1:28.2

realize I'm not the only person struggling with this. And it talks about cell phones. My 12-year-old

1:33.7

has been asking for a cell phone since the fourth grade when some of her friends started getting

1:37.8

them. My husband and I read that kids are just not ready to regulate the dopamine levels caused by

...

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