Children’s 35,000 texts by age 14

THE average child will send around 35,000 texts and 30,000 WhatsApp messages by the age of 14, a survey shows.

They will have spent the equivalent of six months using their phone, 135 minutes a day.

The survey of 1,000 eight to 14-year-olds and their parents found youngsters spend over an hour a day browsing social media sites such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. But their parents are not far behind – nearly four in ten admitted they spend too long looking at their smartphones, 124 minutes a day on average.

The poll, by phone maker Monqi, found that the average child receives their first smartphone at ten. Six in ten say it is the first thing they check in the morning and last thing at night, while 40 per cent would feel lost without it.

Parents’ main worries were children accessing inappropriate content, being targeted by strangers or falling prey to cyber-bullying.

Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman said: ‘It is inevitable your child will use technology, so it’s your job to help them navigate the digital waters safely – and set boundaries.’