Rallying our community to take childhood offline and into real life
“…when we hand them a smartphone, childhood ends.”
Our kids‘ mental health, sense of self worth, social skills, communication skills, academic performance, and ability to focus have declined.
These negative effects are steepest for younger teens (11-14), both boys and girls.
The US Surgeon General points to social media as a significant driver of the national youth mental health crisis, demanding urgent action from parents, schools, and Congress.⁽¹⁾
Since 2010, when smartphones and social media rewired childhood there has been:
A 145% increase in major depression for girls and a 161% increase for boys ⁽²⁾.
A 167% increase in suicide rates for girls and a 91% increase for boys ⁽³⁾.
8-10 hours spent online per day, with an average of 200 daily notifications ⁽⁴⁾.
Our children deserve unwavering support in safeguarding their mental health.
THE SOLUTION
Delay smartphones until high school. Delay social media until age 16.
Choose kid-safe watches and phones.
Parents are taking collective action now to change these cultural norms and reverse devastating trends in teen mental health across the country and in neighboring towns.
So can we!