Give the gift of a childhood and adolescence free from the grips of personal devices.
The reality is that no parental controls are foolproof, and the internet was never designed for children’s safety.
By waiting, you give kids more time to grow, connect, and build resilience offline. They'll spend more time creating art, playing music, practicing sports, reading and experiencing life.
You’re Not Alone
This choice is easier when we do it together. Talk with friends and with the parents of your child’s friends. Build small alliances to wait -it makes all the difference when kids know they aren’t the only ones. More often than not your friend has the same concerns as you.
You can say yes to waiting.
Wait until at least high school for a smartphone.
Introduce a basic phone for talk/txt when not at home. Consider a landline for home communication.
Wait until at least age 16 for social media.
This includes but is not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Roblox, Snapchat, Tik Tok etc., as well as unsupervised
use of YouTube.
Avoid personal devices for young children and for adolescents, too.
When kids turn to tablets too often, they miss the boredom that sparks creativity. Group chats can add stress with constant
pings and pressure to keep up. Encouraging screen-free time gives kids space to relax, imagine, and
connect in healthier ways.
Reconsider the highly distracting impact of smartwatches.
Smartwatches can be highly distracting, with constant alerts that pull kids’ attention away from face-to-face connection.
Some models also collect sensitive data including location, health metrics, and communication logs - raising privacy concerns.
Join a growing movement of families across the country by signing the Wait Until 8th Pledge- a commitment to delay smartphones until at least the end of 8th grade.
Together, we can shift the culture and give kids a safer, healthier, more connected childhood.
Take the Pledge — Wait Until 8th
Resources for Parents at Smartphone Free Childhood