KENNESAW, GA — Researchers at Kennesaw State University are exploring why parents are giving their children cell phones at increasingly younger ages.

The study found the average age for a child’s first phone is now between 9 and 11 years old. Parents cited two main reasons; safety and peer pressure. Many said they want to be able to contact their children quickly, while others worry their kids could miss out on social connections if they don’t have a phone.

KSU professor Mackenzie Cato said an overwhelming theme among parents was regret. “It was really hard to walk back the phone use once you’ve given it, and so parents talked about wishing that they had a contract,” Cato said.

The research also showed that most parents use the devices to track their children’s location and many plan to continue monitoring them even after high school and college.

WSB’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story