ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Making sure your kids are protected when they’re connected is the topic of this consumer alert. Kids go back to school next week, and protecting kids online is top of mind for most parents and educating our kids needs to happen early.

While some experts recommend that kids wait until they’re 13 to get a phone, surveys indicate kids are getting phones much earlier. Verizon did a study that found that 46 percent of kids get their first smartphone at age 9, and a quarter of kids get their first smartphone at age 8. Ultimately, it’s really up to us, as parents, to assess our children’s maturity level and critical thinking skills. .

It’s also up to us as parents to use the tools available to protect our little ones. Verizon’s study showed that 79 percent or approximately four out of five parents use some kind of digital safety features on their kids’ phone, like content filters, privacy settings or Wi-Fi time restrictions. I chatted with a Verizon spokesperson yesterday about this very topic.

Chris Serico/Verizon spokesperson: “I happen to work for Verizon, so, Verizon Smart Family is a good one. but not just because I work there. It’s got services that range from turning off web activity during school hours or bedtime or dinner to blocking certain apps or websites that you don’t find appropriate for your kids to use.”

Deanna Dewberry/WHEC: “That’s fantastic. And I know for a lot of parents once they have the world in their hands. and that’s what this (a cell phone) is — it opens up a world that you don’t think you can control.”

Serico: “Yeah, that can be intimidating, and that leads to maybe the most important piece of advice that I have. It’s actually not a technical piece of advice; it’s actually just a human element. It’s important to implore your children and everyone to use critical thinking and use good behavior online.”

And if your kiddo isn’t ready for a smartphone, there are transitional devices, like smart watches. For example, Verizon has the Verizon Gizmo Watch where you can limit your kids’ contacts and web activity.

T-Mobile has a cool kids’ watch as well. It’s called the SyncUp Kids Watch, and AT&T has the amiGO Jr. Smart Watch for kids, all of which have built in protections.

If your child already has a smart phone, Verizon Smart Family will also allow you to limit your child’s contact list as well as block explicit content. If you’re an AT&T customer, you should use the AT&T Secure Family app and T-Mobile has the T-Mobile FamlyMode app with parental controls and tracking.

If you don’t have any of the big three, The New York Times recommends Apple’s Screen Time for iPhone households and Google Family Link for households with androids. The times also highly recommends Qustodio for Android households with kids older than 13.