https://melmagazine.com/basic-dad-when-should-i-get-my-kid-a-smartphone-cee52d356e6f

When you’re a dad, parenting questions often come up that you struggle to find an answer to. Since other parents are the worst and Google will send you down a rabbit hole of paralyzing, paranoid terror, we’re here to help by putting those questions to the experts. This is “Basic Dad,” an advice column for dads who feel stupid about asking for basic advice.

Right now, I’m lucky: When my three-year-old asks me for a phone, I just pull out the trusty Elmo phone, and she’ll play with that and pretend to call grandma, Cookie Monster, Santa or whoever. I know this is only temporary, though: Someday soon we’ll reach the point where she wants a smartphone because all of her friends have one, or I’ll want to consider giving her one because I’m worried about not being able to reach her.