We empower parents to say yes to waiting for the smartphone.
The Wait Until 8th pledge empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade. Let’s protect the elementary and middle school years from the distractions and the dangers of a smartphone. Banding together helps decrease the pressure to have a phone at an early age. Ten years old is the average age children get their first smartphone. You can change this!
More than 82,000 parents have said yes to waiting on the smartphone for their families. This is making a tremendous difference in communities across the country!
Smartphones are distracting and potentially dangerous for children yet are widespread in elementary and middle school because of unrealistic social pressure and expectations to have one.
These devices are quickly changing childhood for children. Playing outdoors, spending time with friends, reading books and hanging out with family is happening a lot less to make room for hours of snap chatting, instagramming, and catching up on YouTube.
Parents feel powerless in this uphill battle and need community support to help delay the ever-evolving presence of the smartphone in the classroom, social arena and family dinner table. Link arms with other parents to wait until at least the end of eighth grade for a smartphone!
By signing the online pledge, you promise not to give your child a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade as long as at least 10 families total from your child’s grade and school pledge. Once 10 families have pledged to delay the smartphone, you will be notified that the pledge is active! You will receive a list of families who are delaying from your child’s grade and emails for the parents. It is helpful to be connected with other families waiting in your child’s grade. Check out our list of schools with active pledges here!
The Wait Until 8th pledge encourages parents to delay the smartphone. If you need to get in touch before the end of 8th grade, we have some great basic phones and smartwatches featured here. If you would like your child to have a basic phone or smartwatch to call and text only, you still can sign the pledge! These basic options avoid many of the distractions and dangers of the smartphone.
Childhood is too short to waste on a smartphone. Take the pledge today!
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