A new survey from the U.K. finds that nearly half of kids between the ages of five and 10 now have a cell phone. The annual survey from Childwise polled more than 2,000 kids five to 16 and found that they’re getting their own phones earlier than ever, with a majority (53%) having their own phone by the age of seven.
The research reveals that 47% of five to 10-year-olds now have a phone, which is up from 38% last year. And by the time kids are 11, 90% report having their own phone! Of course, having access to the technology is also making them rely on it more, with 39% of kids surveyed saying they couldn’t live without their phone and 57% admitting they always sleep with it by their bed. The thought of not being able to use it is also concerning to the youngsters, 44% say they feel uncomfortable being somewhere without a phone signal and 42% say they’re “constantly worried” about running out of charge.
So how much time are these kids spending on their own cell phones? The survey finds it’s about three hours and 20 minutes a day, which they use messaging, playing games, and being online. So it’s no surprise researchers say phones can “dominate children’s lives.”
Source: Yahoo