The holidays are here, and there's nothing like the joy of seeing your kid unwrap their dream gift. But let's be honest— for many parents, including myself, this season also brings a new kind of stress: dealing with your child asking for their first phone. It is a tough spot for parents- we want to make our child’s holiday wishes come true, but also want to make sure we are keeping them safe in the digital world.
According to Mintel Reports US, Families and Technology, 2022, over half of parents expressed concern about the amount of screen time (55%) and potential exposure to inappropriate content (51%) when giving their child a device. Even with those concerns – over half of parents (58%) recognize that screens are a necessary part of parenting according to Mintel Reports US, Family Entertainment, 2023. We know parents value having access to help in an emergency, staying connected, and tracking their kid’s location.
In today’s world, we understand it’s not a matter of if your child will get a phone – but when. It’s common for children to receive their first smartphone around ages 11-15, and some psychologists, like Jonathan Haidt—author of 'The Anxious Generation'— even recommend waiting until 16. To help parents navigate when their children may be ready for tech, AT&T and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created the PhoneReady Questionnaire, a quick 10-question online tool that helps parents figure out whether their child is ready for the responsibilities of a smartphone. Since 2021, we’ve seen over 148,000 PhoneReady quiz completions. Through our collaboration with AAP and HealthyChildren.org, we’ve also created the Family Media Plan, which allows families to personalize media priorities that matter the most to them. Over 56,000 Family Media Plans have been created since 2021.
If you're still not quite ready to gift a phone this holiday season, our growing amiGO Jr. Family Ecosystem offers the perfect solution.
The AT&T amiGO Jr. Watch™ has features like secure messaging, location monitoring, an emergency SOS button, and a school mode to disable calls and texts during school hours, keeping your child connected and safe during school, playdates, and more, all from their wrist. The AT&T amiGO Jr. Tab™ can complement our kids watch or stand on its own as an entertainment and communication device that allows parents to control safe browsing, set playtime limits, monitor location, and ensure secure messaging, voice calls and video calling with only parent-approved contacts through the AT&T amiGO™ platform.
'Tis the Season
Beginning November 15th, parents can snag 50% off the AT&T amiGO Jr. Watch™1, amiGO Jr. Tab™2, and monthly service for 36 months3 for each, providing an affordable way to introduce your child to their first tech device this holiday season.
We also understand kids can be accident-prone. In fact, parents report that nearly 57% of broken devices are due to kid mayhem, according to an Asurion study.4 To protect your investment, consider adding AT&T Protect Advantage at your time of purchase to help safeguard your little one's wireless devices from life’s mishaps, including if it’s lost. If their tech is Wi-Fi only – we have AT&T HomeTech Protection for that too (it even covers gaming consoles).
Modern parenting is hard, but with the right resources and tools, we can help each other navigate our new digital world. Happy Holidays from your AT&T family!
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