Colman Noctor: How to set ground rules and restrictions for your child's first smartphone

Start with tight regulations and loosen them as you go - it is far more difficult to roll back from unfettered access.   

Pic: iStock

Buying a smartphone for your child is like buying a puppy — the work only starts then. The idea and reality of owning a puppy can be very different. While we might imagine the puppy snuggling up with the family in front of the fire, it’s easy to forget the daily walks, cleaning up, and furniture chewing.

The expectation versus the reality of your children owning a smartphone is somewhat similar — we think it will be good for our children if they can stay in touch with us and deepen family bonds, but it’s a huge life change and an ongoing responsibility.