Lauren Silverman has revealed why she backtracked on her strict phone rules with her son Eric, 12, as she confessed Simon Cowell hasn't owned a mobile for eight years. 

The mother-of-two, 48, and Simon, 66, had been fiercely against Eric having a phone, but they had to rethink their stance after discovering he had downloaded Snapchat - a multimedia messaging app - on Lauren's phone. 

Taking to Instagram on Monday, Lauren wrote: 'For a long time Simon and I were very firm about one thing, no phone for Eric. (Simon himself hasn’t had a phone for nearly 8 years!).

'But recently Eric had a very honest conversation with us about it that made us rethink our position slightly.

'He now has a phone with some very clear boundaries. The main one being, no social media. Just texting and calling friends and family.'

In a slideshow of pictures, Lauren explained further: 'I changed my mind about my 12-year-old son having a phone...

'But I still said no to social media. Whether we like it or not, texting has become a part of childhood.

'Plans are made there. Jokes are shared there. Friendships often happen there and at some point kids start feeling like they are the only one not in the conversation.

'For a long time I was very clear, no phone.'

Lauren said she believed the longer herself and Simon could delay giving a  smartphone to Eric, the better.

But everything changed when she discovered her son had been secretly messaging his friends on Snapchat off her phone. 

She said: 'That moment really made me stop and think about what the right approach should be. 

'Instead of turning it into a battle, we talked. What he told me was actually very simple. He didn't care about social media. He just wanted to be able to text and call his friends.'

Lauren said they came to a compromise where Eric could have a phone for texting and calling but isn't allowed Snapchat or social media. 

She added: 'The reason I am holding that boundary is because social media is a completely different worlds.

'The pressure. The comparison. The toxicity. For our family, this is something we are waiting for for now.'

Lauren went on to tell the strict rules she has in place - no phones in Eric's bedroom, at the dinner table or during family time.

She concluded: 'Technology should never replace real life.'

Fans took to the comment section, where they applauded Lauren for her 'clever approach'. 

They wrote: 'Smart mum. You are such a role model' and 'bravo'. 

Simon gave up having a phone back in 2018. 

At the time, the television mogul revealed he had become so distracted and irritated by his phone that he made himself uncontactable for the sake of his mental health and happiness. 

He told The Mail on Sunday at the time: 'I literally have not been on my phone.

'The difference it made was that I became more aware of the people around me and way more focused.

'The thing I get irritated with is when you have a meeting everyone's on their phone – and I was probably in that place too. You can't concentrate.

'It has been so good for my mental health. It's a very strange experience but it really is good for you and it has absolutely made me happier.'