What Age Should a Kid Get a Phone? | Giovanni Carlozzi | TEDxMiramar Youth

Giovanni Carlozzi, a student, wrestler and DJ, shares his view on when a child should get a phone. He says he went through middle school without one and credits that experience with his confidence and people skills. Instead of social media, he spent his free time deep sea fishing and camping with his family in the Florida Keys. The talk describes how he came to understand his parents' rules after noticing classmates who found the outdoors boring and kids glued to their phones at birthday parties. He also credits his parents' encouragement to greet adults and start conversations first. The talk is aimed at parents deciding when to hand over a phone and at teens who fear missing out.

• Speaker went through middle school without a phone
• Family time outdoors instead of social media
• Observations about screen use at birthday parties and among classmates
• Advice for parents on when to give a child a phone

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and understanding of technology and addiction. This TEDx event was independently organized by volunteers by and for a youth audience. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdf Later than most parents think: Giovanni Carlozzi went through middle school without a phone and credits that with his confidence and people skills. While his friends had devices and social media, he spent his free time deep sea fishing and camping on islands in the Florida Keys with his family. He didn’t understand his parents’ rules until he noticed classmates who found the outdoors boring and kids glued to their phones at their own birthday parties. His parents also pushed him to greet adults and start conversations first, a habit he says put him on the TEDx stage. For parents deciding when to hand over a phone, and teens who think they’re missing out, Giovanni makes the case for growing up in an online world with offline parents. This talk addresses: What happens when parents limit screen time? Kids without phones. Screen time and family bonding. Raising kids without social media. Teen screen time. Youth. Connection. Communication. Part of the 2026 TEDxMiramar Youth Showcase: Growing Up Online. Giovanni Carlozzi is a student, wrestler, and DJ. He is also involved in church and Toastmaster Youth Leadership. He has traveled to 3 continents so far. He has an affinity for water sports, exploring the culinary world, and mastering music production and DJing. His main project is sharing ideas worth encouraging and inspiring positive leadership skills to youth by participating and engaging in talks, feeding the homeless, and outreach with the elderly. Giovanni’s passion is fueled by his core beliefs and values with the importance on discipline and determination. He believes the focus on technology could use a closer observation. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx