How young is too young for kids to have smartphones?

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- In today's world, we are constantly connected.

In fact, the younger generations grew up on technology.

Their clicks, swipes and posts practically move at lightning speed, making you wonder: Were these kids born with a smartphone in their hand?

But how young is too young?

A national online pledge is asking parents to not give their kids smartphones until at least the 8th grade.

It's called Wait Until 8th.

"The Wait Until 8th pledge empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least 8th grade," the website states. "By banding together, this will decrease the pressure felt by kids and parents alike over the kids having a smartphone."

The pledge website claims that smartphones are "distracting" and "dangerous" to young children.

So why wait? Among their reasons, the site says that smartphones can be addictive, an academic distraction, they can impair sleep, interfere with relationships, and increase the risk for anxiety, depression, cyber bullying and access to sexual content.

"According to a New York Times piece, many technology executives wait until their child is 14 before they allow them to have a phone," the website states. "While these teenagers can make calls and text, they are not given a data plan until 16. If leaders of digital giants like Google, eBay, Apple and Yahoo are delaying the smartphone then should this not give us pause? Executives that flourish on the success of technology are protecting their children from the smartphone. Should we not do the same?"

So what happens when you sign the pledge? According to the website, you are promising to "not to give your child a smartphone until at least 8th grade as long as at least 10 other families from your child’s grade and school pledge as well."

The pledge was started by a mom from Texas who believes children should play outside and spend less time away from screens.

We asked parents in our area about how early they decided to let their kids go digital with their own smartphones.

Many parents told us they are waiting until various teenage years, either to wait for kids to be more responsible or wait until they can afford to pay for the phones themselves.

Other parents told us they let their kids have smartphones younger than 14. The biggest reason was because of after school activities and other scenarios where the adults want to be able to stay in touch with their children. For the younger kids, some parents told us they give them phones with restricted access, like only being able to call and text particular numbers.

"My kids have them for safety if I'm not home or if they're out with their friends," said Josie Kazee.

Kazee has a 16-year-old daughter and 9-year-old daughter. Both have smartphones.

"For my oldest it was because she wanted to walk home from school and I wanted to make sure if she wasn't with friends or she got lost or something that she had a way to get ahold of me," said Kazee. "Then my youngest, it's because her dad works overnights and then I have to be to work 15 to 20 minutes before he comes home and we don't have a home phone. So I want to make sure she has something, if she needs to, to get ahold of somebody."

Her teenage daughter Victoria said her phone is a big part of her life from making calls to texting friends and scrolling through social media.

She admits it can take a toll on the amount of sleep she gets.

"It's definitely harder to sleep at night just because you're either on the phone talking and you look at the time and it's like oh it's 3 o'clock in the morning," said Victoria. "Or like, just scrolling on Facebook, you don't even bother to check the time."

Victoria also says smartphones often lead to stumbling upon teenage "drama" or inappropriate pictures.

"I guess as long as you're monitoring them and not letting them do all that," said Kazee.

While Victoria is constantly connected with her friends, 9-year-old Sabrina didn't take her phone to the park. Kazee says that proves a kid can still be a kid, even in this tech savvy world.