3 IN 4 PARENTS ARE PLANNING A CHRISTMAS DEVICE FOR THEIR KIDS, BUT ARE THEY READY?
If a phone, tablet or gaming device is on your child's Christmas list this year, you are far from alone.
New Australian research has found three in four parents are planning or considering a Christmas device for their child, but many are not sure how to set it up safely.
The Christmas Device Study 2026 was released this week by the Digital Readiness Lab, an independent organisation focused on children's online readiness.
It surveyed 1,039 Australian parents and carers of children aged five to 14 in October.
The Christmas device confidence gap
Almost every parent surveyed, 95 per cent, expects to use parental controls or family settings.
Yet only 53 per cent feel very or completely confident setting a device up safely.
About 35 per cent are neither confident nor planning to get advice before the device arrives.
And 60 per cent said they do not trust the apps, settings and safeguards currently available.
Founder Rinat Strahlhofer told SMBtech parents were being asked to judge something "they've never been given the tools to measure".
Is your child really ready?
Two in three parents rated their child as mostly or completely ready for a device.
But just 15 per cent said their child consistently showed all three key readiness skills, which were self-regulation, critical judgement and asking for help.
Perhaps most surprising, 46 per cent of parents whose child showed none of those skills still rated them as ready.
Smartphones and the move to high school
Smartphones are a big part of the picture, with 35 per cent of all parents considering one.
That rises from 18 per cent for parents of seven and eight-year-olds to 48 per cent for parents of 13 and 14-year-olds.
For parents of 12-year-olds, 44 per cent said starting high school was the sign it was time.
Staying in touch matters most, with 67 per cent of parents considering a phone for an 11 to 13-year-old wanting to reach their child or let them call for help.
Rules on the day, or before?
One of the most telling findings is about timing.
Some 44 per cent of parents plan to work out the rules on the day the device is unwrapped, while 33 per cent will have them sorted before Christmas.
Around one in three expect the device to be a surprise, which can make setting it up in advance a little tricky.
About 14 per cent said someone outside the household, most often a grandparent, would also be giving their child a device.
The good news is that 78 per cent of those had checked with the parent first.
Simple steps before your child's Christmas device is unwrapped
Set up the device yourself before you wrap it, including updates, family settings and any age restrictions.
Decide on a few clear house rules, such as where devices are charged overnight and when they are put away at mealtimes.
Write the rules down together in a simple family agreement, a format many parents in the study said would help.
Talk to grandparents and relatives early so nobody doubles up on a device you are not ready for.
Remember that Australia has social media minimum age rules for under-16s, so check which apps are suitable before Christmas Day.
The eSafety Commissioner has free guides for parents on setting up devices and having those conversations.
Parents want more help
Parents in the study were clear that they would welcome support, with 91 per cent open to at least one kind of help.
Their most trusted sources were government or eSafety bodies, online safety organisations and family or friends.
Only 10 per cent trusted the shop, and 9 per cent trusted their phone or internet company, even though 42 per cent wanted guidance from them.
The Digital Readiness Lab says it will release free tools for families before Christmas.
Whatever you decide this year, a little preparation now can help make a new device a happy surprise rather than a stressful one.
