FAQS

A: Elementary and middle school are when our children establish the foundations of their future academic success. These are the years when they learn how to manage their time, juggle homework, and complete projects. Substantial smartphone use – and the easy access to social media that smartphones provide – can have a cumulative and lasting impact on children’s ability to focus and engage in their studies. 

Children who spend more than two hours a day looking at a screen get lower scores on thinking and language tests. Excessive screen time is associated with a premature thinning of the cerebral cortex. The mere presence of a smartphone may reduce cognitive capacity and test-taking brainpower. 

Emerging research shows clear harms associated with early smartphone use. Tweens and teens with smartphones get less sleep. They are more anxious, irritable, and depressed. Longer social media use is associated with higher rates of suicidal intent and self-harm. Smartphones have a cumulative and lasting impact on children’s ability to focus in school.

A: While we cannot endorse specific products, there are devices on the market that have more limited functionality than a smartphone. Gizmo watches allow two-way voice and text communication between kids, parents, and other parent-approved adults; video calls; and location tracking – all without access to social media or the Internet.  We’ve established discounts for two of our recommended devices, The Light Phone and The Wisephone.

If your child already has an Apple Watch or other “smart wearable,” you can use parent controls to block your child from texting with peers, using social media, or accessing the Internet. 

Remember: Our ultimate goal is to keep our kids away from inappropriate Internet content, off social media, and out of group texts until they reach an appropriate level of social and emotional development.

A: There are also a growing number of high-quality smartphone alternatives on the market. These are modern updates on our old flip phones, designed to provide communication and other functionality. Some, like the Wisephone, are compatible with Uber, Lyft, and other convenience tools.

A: Our goal is to limit our children from texting with each their peers unsupervised – especially in large groups, which can quickly turn abusive or exclusionary. Often, the spread of group texting among kids also creates more pressure on parents to buy smartphones. Texting with your children on non-smartphone devices or smart wearables, or having a family group text, is consistent with the spirit of the pledge.

A: We ask that parents who sign the pledge block their childrens’ access to social media and group texting on any household tablets until they reach the recommended age. This can be done using Apple’s parent controls. We also recommend that each family sign a Family Digital Agreement governing the use of digital devices such as tablets and computers.

It’s worth repeating here: Our overriding goal is to keep our kids away from inappropriate Internet content, off of social media, and out of group texts until they reach appropriate levels of social and emotional development. Tablets like iPads are often where children begin to use these apps or access adult content on the Internet – sometimes without their parents’ knowledge. It’s up to each parent to adopt appropriate rules of the road that are consistent with their kids’ needs.

A: Some of us are in the same boat – and we know these can be challenging conversations. At the same time, we also know much more about the dangers and harms of early smartphone use than we did just a few years ago. Changing the digital culture in our school community won’t be easy, but it has to start somewhere. We urge everyone to weigh the clear benefits of our guidelines as you make decisions for your family.

A: We strongly encourage parents who have already provided smartphones to their children to replace the phones with other devices, such as Gizmo watches, until the child reaches high school. Our guidelines allow “featureless” phones beginning in 6th Grade. 

When your child reaches 6th Grade, you can use parent controls to turn a smartphone into a featureless phone by blocking or limiting access to the Internet, limiting who your child can text, and blocking all social media apps and sites.

There are also a growing number of high-quality smartphone alternatives on the market, such as the Wisephone and the Light Phone. These are modern updates on our old flip phones, designed to provide communication and other functionality without access to the Internet, social media, or “endless feed” apps that consume our kids’ attention and energy.

Remember, we recommend not giving children a phone of any kind – even a featureless cell phone – until 6th grade at the earliest.

A: There are a number of music-only devices on the market that offer the ability to download music, access streaming services, and connect to speakers. Consider a device like Campfire or similar music players available on Amazon. Be sure to choose one that does not come loaded with social media apps, or choose one where you can easily delete such apps.