How to raise a happy child: recommendations from a Yale University psychology professor

The question of at what age should children get their first mobile phone is becoming increasingly relevant in a world where technology plays an important role in everyday life. New research is examining the consequences of early access to smartphones and raising questions about children's mental health, the quality of their education and safety in the online world, reports CNBC.

At what age should a child get their first mobile phone? There's only one right answer if you want him to have a happier, more successful life, says Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos: “Wait as long as possible.”

“In my opinion, the longer we can hold off on exposing kids to technology, the better,” says Santos, a professor of Yale University's most popular course and host of a podcast. The Happiness Lab.

According to a report from a non-profit organization Common Sense Media for 2019, children aged 8 to 12 who own phones spend just under five hours a day on them, and teenagers spend almost eight.

However, screen time is rarely used for creative activities such as coding or creating digital art. Young people spend most of their time interacting on social media or watching videos, writes Common Sense research director Michael Robb.

The influence of the phone on health

This can lead to poor mental health, which affects children differently than adults and distracts them from school, Santos said. The use of social media exposes many children to cyberbullying, hate speech and discrimination. Even YouTube videos aimed at children may contain harmful, disturbing or inappropriate content.

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The sheer number of notifications a child receives from social media is even greater than that of his parents - and this can be an overwhelming task for a young growing body.

“Today, teenagers receive about 200 notifications on their phones,” says the professor. “These are brains that are forming and trying to pay attention to school, and meanwhile their phones keep going ding, ding, ding.”

Stopping smartphone use by children and teens before 8th grade has benefits, according to advocacy group Wait Until 8th, including:

• Reducing the risk of anxiety and depression;
• Increasing the number and quality of sleep;
• More time for physical activity activities and walks outdoors.

Parents, according to Santos, also need to set an example: “If you are constantly talking on a cell phone, then it will be more difficult for you to explain why your child cannot do this. He will strive to do not what you say, but what you do,” the professor sums up.