Is Your Kid Ready For Sleepovers, Mobiles & More? The Age Guide Every Parent Needs

There are so many life experiences in store for our children, but what is the right age for them to enjoy them? From having a mobile phone and travelling to school by themselves to having sleepovers, here are some recommended ages for you Mamas to consider.

We blinked, and our child is suddenly… not such a child anymore. As the years go by, independence forms part of their identity, displayed loud and proud like a badge on their chest. Part of watching your child grow up is helping them find their way in life, and that means letting them do more and more things on their own.

However, when is the right age for certain life experiences? Note that the ages outlined below are just a rough gauge; it really depends on the child’s emotional and physical maturity.

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Having a mobile phone: from age 10 and above

Many of us will remember getting our first mobile phone: most likely a chunky Nokia phone; whose sole purpose was for our parents to make sure they can reach us when we were outdoors or at school. While times have definitely changed, the same principle can definitely apply to younger kids today! We recommend starting with a basic phone for safety purposes — this means for just calls and texts, with no internet browsing capability.

This can be upgraded to a smartphone as they get older. To assess readiness, this CNA study recommends setting screen time boundaries, having discussions about digital safety, as well as how transparent they’re willing to be about their online experiences.

Sassy Tip: For a starter, consider installing parental controls on your child’s phone. The New York Times advocates Apple’s built-in ‘Screen Time’ feature and Android’s ‘Google Family Link’.

Read More: Smartwatches, GPS Trackers & ‘Dumb’ Devices: Better Alternatives to Giving Hong Kong Kids Mobile Phones

Travelling to school alone: from age 11 and above

Mamas, don’t wait till your child is older to start instilling some direction and road sense. Take it from us: this training can start from a young age! Take the time to familiarise them with road names and signs. You can even turn it into a game: task them to bring you home via public transport and challenge them to find the faster route. To help them further, you can practice the home-school-home route multiple times together with them. Once they’ve shown that they’re capable of handling this, you can try letting them travel to and from school by themselves.

Sassy Mama Tip: If you’re planning a family holiday to Japan, even better! If your kid can navigate Japan’s subway system — trust us, they’ll be able to get through Hong Kong’s with ease. Our parents used to task us to bring them to various sightseeing spots in Japan, and that has definitely helped us hone our road sense and street smarts.

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Going out with friends: from age 12 and above

Children prioritise their friends more and more as they get older. It’s completely normal! So, when is a good age for them to go on outings with their friends by themselves? In fact, they won’t even want parents to be around for such outings. Care.com recommends starting with short trips to nearby parks or shops, before transitioning to longer/further trips.

Sassy Mama Tip: As much as it is about child-readiness, it’s also about how secure you feel about letting your child navigate public spaces on their own. If you’d rather hold on a little longer, go right ahead!

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Enjoying sleepovers in supervised environment: from age 11 and above

The idea of going for sleepovers is super fun — which kid wouldn’t want extended playtime with their friends? If you aren’t ready to have your child spend a night away from home just yet, don’t worry! Just take your time with it. Alternatively, why not invite some of your child’s closest friends over to stay first? That will be the golden opportunity to get to know your child’s friends, as well as chat with their parents at pickup and drop-off.

Sassy Mama Tip: Before your child goes for a sleepover, it’d be great to sit down for a discussion about body safety. Don’t be afraid to ask the host parents lots of questions, such as who will be at home during the sleepover.

This extends to overnight camps too! Start with short 2D1N camps; and, if your child enjoys the experience, extend to longer ones.

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