Israeli kids get cell phones early, study finds

Mothers say being able to contact their children gives them peace of mind

JERUSALEM — One in four Israeli children between the ages of 6 and 8 has their own cell phone, a new survey found.

The number increases to one in three children for ages 9 to 11 and 91 percent for ages 12 to 14, the survey by the Israeli cell phone company Pelephone found.

The survey of 920 Israeli mothers of children aged 6 to 14, representative of the general population, took place at the end of July.

Some 93 percent of the mothers said they gave their children cell phones so that they can have peace of mind and be able to contact them when they want.

Ninety-two percent of the children with cell phones use them to send text messages, according to the survey, and 75 percent use apps.