NJ among most dangerous states for kids to have a cell phone

It is so hard to be a parent. You don’t want to give your kid too little, and you know even in elementary school children talk and they compare what families have. You also don’t want to give them too much. Spoiling a kid seldom ends well for them.

Then there’s the reality that at some point cell phones stopped feeling like a luxury and became somewhat of a necessity. Even for children. Parents use phones to track a kid. It can be a safety device.

Yet there’s a dark side, though. With smartphones all the rage and kids getting them at younger and younger ages, they become vulnerable to creeps.

Study: New Jersey Among the Riskiest States for Kids With Phones

PCB analyzed data to determine which states were the most dangerous for minors to have a phone. They looked at the average age kids receive their first phone and cybercrime complaints per 100k residents.

Gotta be honest. It’s not good news for New Jersey. While we certainly are not the most dangerous state, the majority of states are safer for children being given a phone. New Jersey landed at 16th most dangerous. That puts us in the scariest top third.

According to a press release, children in New Jersey receive their first smartphone at an average age of 10.77. New Jersey reports 165.3 cybercrime reports per 100,000 residents.

Experts Warn: Early Phones Without Guidance Invite Trouble

Leon Huang, a tech safety expert, says you should talk to your kids about ground rules before they ever have the phone.

“Parents often think giving their child a phone early keeps them safe because they can stay in contact. But without preparation, the opposite can happen. Education and awareness should come before the device, especially during the holidays when excitement can overshadow important digital-safety steps,” Huang said.

If you’re planning on giving your child a cell phone as a Christmas gift, Huang adds, “The worst time to learn parental controls is Christmas morning. Setting things up early is the digital version of assembling a bike before putting it under the tree.”

Make sure you go over rules and expectations. If you think they’re old enough to have a phone, then they’re old enough to be responsible with it.