Planning on giving your child their first smartphone?

On average, parents in Louisiana give their children their first cellphones before they reach 10 years old, and in New Jersey, parents wait until their children are just a bit older.

Here’s when parents begin giving their children their first iPhone or Pixel in New Jersey, and what you should think about first before setting your child up with a cellphone.

How old should my child be to get a cellphone?

According to Secure Data Recovery’s report, children average 10.77 years old when parents in New Jersey give them their first cell phone.

In comparison, the average age when kids get their first cellphone is 10.66 in Pennsylvania and 10.97 in New York.

That’s about the age when kids start pressuring their parents for a cellphone.

“By the time kids are in middle school, the pressure from kids can be intense, and parents worry that their child will feel isolated if other kids have phones and they don’t,” according to the Child Mind Institute. “According to Common Sense Media, 42 percent of kids have a phone by age 10. By age 12, it’s 71 percent. By 14, it’s 91 percent.

“Max Stossel, the founder and CEO of Social Awakening, recommends that parents hold the line on giving kids smartphones until at least eighth grade.”

Things parents should consider before giving their kids a cellphone

Age and level of responsibility are just two factors that parents should consider when giving their children their first cell phone.

“Increased cellphone use has added more distractions and interruptions for students, along with an increase in cheating and cyberbullying,” advised the All for Kids nonprofit. “Technology can have a significant negative impact on kids, while the benefits of reading to children and other non-technology pastimes, such as music, writing, or art, are clear.”

In New Jersey, parents will need to also consider cellphone restrictions imposed by the New Jersey Schools Boards Association.

“Currently, there are districts that collect phones and store them, some in dedicated lockers or pouches,” advised the NJ school boards website. “Other districts require that the phones be stored in students’ lockers. Others do not allow them in classrooms or require that they be turned off during certain parts of the day.

“Some districts have installed technology to block internet access, or access to certain platforms or apps in school.”

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.