In some schools in the United States, parents are signing commitment letters to keep their children away from cell phones until an appropriate age.
Kiley DeMarco recently attended Safety Night at her children’s public elementary school in Long Island, New York. As she visited different booths to learn about protecting her children from accidentally ingesting a cannabis gummy, a local violence prevention program, or how police officers would respond in case of an emergency on campus, one booth caught her attention: a parent was asking others to commit to not giving smartphones to their children until the end of eighth grade.
DeMarco has two children, one in preschool and the other in first grade. Like many parents, she has already read books and research that claim smartphones and the social media apps they can access drastically increase anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts in teenagers.
Asking parents from the same school to commit to withholding phones until a certain age made sense to her. “It means there are no gray areas,” she said. “There is a defined grade level at which they receive the phone.”
The idea of acting collectively, in unison with other parents, made her feel more confident in being able to fulfill her commitment. “It totally takes the pressure off us as parents,” she said. “Later on, when my kids start asking for phones, we can say that we signed this commitment for the well-being of our community and that we are sticking to it.”
In schools and communities across the country, parents are signing documents committing not to give their children smartphones until after high school. The idea, say organizers, is that if parents act together, their children are less likely to feel isolated because they are not the only ones who cannot see TikTok.
Parents are recognizing the negative impact that smartphones and social media can have on their children’s mental health and well-being. By collectively agreeing to delay giving smartphones to their children, they are creating a supportive environment where children can focus on more meaningful interactions and activities.
This movement highlights the power of community and solidarity in addressing modern parenting challenges. It encourages open discussions about healthy technology use and sets a positive example for children to prioritize real-world connections over digital distractions. By coming together to limit smartphone usage, parents are taking a proactive step towards safeguarding their children’s emotional and psychological development.
