For a child, mobile phones are seen as the must have gadget. Many become fixated with the device when they are babies, often being given a toy mobile phone to play with so as to not feel left out.
It's not surprising then, that many children begin making demands for a phone at an early age and most parents are only too happy to oblige.
New research shows the extent of the fascination that children have with the mobile phone, with over half of three to 15 year olds using a mobile phone regularly. The research carried out also showed that some parents remain unconcerned when it comes to monitoring how their children make use of their phones.
Children are becoming technologically savvy at an increasingly earlier age.
A recent study by the price comparison site, Moneysupermarket.com, revealed that nearly 23% of three to six year olds are already using a mobile phone.
The majority of parents keep a restriction on their children's spending habits with over three-quarters only allowing their children to use pay as you go mobile phones.
Rob Barnes, head of mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, said: "Buying a mobile phone for your child can provide peace of mind, as it makes them easily contactable. However, there are a number of factors parents should consider.
"After purchasing the phone, take heed of warnings regarding internet access and look into whether filters can be placed onto your child's mobile in-order to bar access to specific sites.
"Buying your child a mobile phone is a difficult decision, and I believe there has not yet been enough development in the market to offer sufficient protection. With more children using mobile phones I would like to see more restrictions in place from the networks to prevent them being exploited."
