From a Handful of Parents to 348 Pledges: P.A.U.S.E. is Showing What’s Possible. A Beverly Hills chapter has reached nearly 350 pledges across its district — and their playbook is one any community can borrow.

P.A.U.S.E. (Promoting Alternatives to Unhealthy Screen Exposure) started small: a handful of Beverly Hills parents who refused to accept that early smartphone exposure had to be inevitable. A few years and many meetings later, their leadership committee has built a 200-parent WhatsApp community, presented at School Board meetings, hosted expert panels, and earned a formal partnership with the Beverly Hills Unified School District to promote the Wait Until 8th pledge.

Research is crystal clear: Instagram has negatively affected a generation of children. Multiple studies—including internal research conducted by Meta (Instagram’s parent company)—have documented the platform's harmful impact on young users. To address these risks, Instagram introduced a feature called Supervision, designed to give parents more insight into and control over their teen’s experience on the platform. The problem is most parents aren’t using It. Parents—if your teen is on Instagram, it’s crucial to set up Supervision. Learn how with our parent's guide to Supervision.

I don’t know about you, but I have spent ALOT of time trying to thread the needle between allowing my kids a way to explore music and also protecting them from content they are not ready for.

To get to the point, none of the music apps provide perfect solutions. They are all at least little bit risky. Here’s what parents need to know about 4 of the most popular.

Recently, the Netflix series Adolescence became one of the platform’s most-watched limited series. It tells the fictional story of a 13-year-old boy whose descent into online misogyny and emotional isolation ends in tragedy. 

The series captures with haunting accuracy the quiet erosion of connection, empathy, and safety that can happen because our kids are growing up online — especially when they’re alone with big emotions and unfiltered content. If you're parenting a tween or teen right now, read this blog for the most important takeaways from the show.

Kids get interested in sending text based messages pretty early these days. Text Based Messaging is likely one of the first forms of digital communication a kid will try. Consider these dangers, tips and the unexpected places texting can happen.

In today’s digital age, teaching our children healthy screen habits is essential for their well-being. Creating boundaries around screen time doesn’t mean saying “no” to technology—it means setting up supportive guidelines that help kids thrive both online and offline. Here are some key boundaries that promote resilience, emotional regulation, social skills, and overall wellness.

I have a running list of tricky tricks that kids have employed to get around digital parenting rules.

This post is not the full list, but its a good place to start.

I am not sharing this list to create a panic. I am sharing to raise awareness. If parents understand more about some of the sneaking behaviors out there, they are more likely to sense trouble should it arise.

This story shows the power in parents coming together to advocate for change!

In our town there is an annual 5th grade field trip 2 hrs away. This is a much anticipated adventure as well as a beloved tradition that marks the end of elementary and the transition to middle school.
The thought had not crossed my mind that personal internet-enabled devices could be an issue on the bus. In our school the policy is that personal devices like a smartphone must be powered down and out of sight for the school day.

So I was surprised when a fellow 5th grade mom reached out to share that her daughter was in knots because she didn't have a smartphone for the trip. Her daughter was consumed by anxiety because kids with phones and ipads were using the devices to entice friends to sit with them, making plans about what they'll watch or do. This girl said to her mom: "I have nothing to offer."

Kids want to be on social media. They feel significant social pressure, especially when “everyone else” seems to have access. But the benefits don’t outweigh the risks. Not by a long shot. This is my best advice on how and why to say no.

Dearest almost third grader,

I write this letter as much for you as I do for myself, in the hopes that the power of the written word will bind me to everything I’m about to lay out. Because inevitably, you’ll soon claim that my refusal to get you a phone is impinging on your ability to make friends, keep friends, do schoolwork, teleport into a classmate’s house via avatar — lord knows where we’ll be by then. And so, our family’s 10 commandments around phones — drawn in part by the research I did for my first book, for which I consulted myriad experts about the effects of technology on parenting — explaining why you and your siblings will not be getting a phone until high school.

My name is Katelyn Moore and I am 16. When I was in 4th grade, all of my classmates began acquiring smartphones. When I asked my parents for one, their response was “What is your why behind wanting one?”

This question surprised me and I answered with “All my friends have one, I feel left out when they are on theirs, etc.” And while they understood where I was coming from they clarified that they didn’t see the need for one at that point in my life.

My high school senior does not have a smartphone.  In fact, she only got a “dumb phone” when she turned 16 and got her driver’s license.  Of course, she wishes she had an iPhone like almost everyone else, but she is flourishing in her social life and other endeavors. I’m writing this for those parents whose hearts are telling them to go against the grain with their children and phones.

Momentum is building across the country to delay smartphones and social media! In the past few weeks, more than 2,000 parents have signed the Wait Until 8th pledge. The pledge is flourishing in big cities, suburbs, small towns, public schools and private schools.

Are you about to say yes to a smartphone for your child? If so, make sure your child is ready for this responsibility. We have a new family phone plan to read together outlining healthy boundaries and what should not be on the phone to start.