As Christmas fast approaches children will be busy adding to their extensive Christmas list of toys, games and gadgets. But when is the right time to give your child their first gadget?
Parenting on Female First
New research from Cashinyourgadgets.co.uk, the website that allows you to trade in your old gadgets for cash, has found that a mere 13 per cent of people believe it is acceptable to buy a mobile phone for a child under the age of 10 while 45 per cent believe that 13+ is the most acceptable age.
Ashley Payne from Cashinyourgadgets.co.uk said: “Children are getting more and more gadget savvy, wanting the best in order to keep up with their friends in the playground. As a result, households are filling up with unused gadgets with a quarter of families having at least two broken or old mobile phones and eight per cent having four or more!”
Parents were also asked at what age they gave their child their first gadget and again over 13 was the most popular answer which 35 per cent opted for, while a quarter gave their child gadgets between the ages of 10 and 13 and a further 13 per cent giving theirs as young as six-years-old.
Katy Hayden, a ‘supernanny’ and Childcare Expert from nanny agency, Tinies, said: “The best time to buy their first mobile phone or gadget depends on the individual. However, it is well known that children at the age of 11 will always want the latest technology gadgets as they are most likely starting secondary school and see the older children with iphones and ipads and want to be like them.
"However, it is important to ask yourself why they want it; is it to look cool or for safety reasons if travelling to school alone?
“Discuss with your child their reasons for wanting the item, maybe allowing them to have a cheaper pay as you go phone which they can have credit on for occasional use and emergencies. It is important for them to learn the value of items so by allowing them to have a cheaper phone they can work towards the bigger and better gadgets in time when they are older,” Katy advises.
The study was done by cashinyourgadgets.co.uk who guarantee that you will receive your payment within 48 hours of them receiving your phone, laptop or camera. The service has received rave reviews from consumers on a leading review website since their launch in March 2012 and is proving to be a popular way of raising money for Christmas spending.
For more information on how your gadgets can make you money, visit www.cashinyourgadgets.co.uk