A RECENT survey shows that more than 93 percent of Chinese parents have given their children mobile phones for daily uses, the China Youth Daily reported Thursday.

Phone ownership ratio is the highest among children attending junior middle school with the figure exceeding 97 percent, according to the newspaper, noting that primary school students from grades one to three reported the lowest rate.

By city, the ownership ratio is highest among children living in second-tier cities and the lowest among rural students, it added.

The survey was based on answers from 1,939 parents of primary and middle school students.

The students use their phones mainly for homework and social media, the newspaper reported.

However, more than 30 percent of those surveyed said they failed to guide their children to rationally use the gadgets, it said.

Sun Hongyan, a researcher with the China Youth and Children Research Center, suggested that parents should set an example first and not get addicted to their phones.

Parents should involve their children in setting rules for phone use, teach them how to identify healthy content and learn from them about new media technology, Sun told the newspaper. (Xinhua)