Duxbury FACTS invites all parents of school aged kids to join in on the nationwide campaign that asks parents to pledge to wait until their children are in 8th grade before giving them a smartphone. Citing concerns about social and relational impact, mental health concerns and exposure to mature content, the “Wait Until 8th” campaign suggests that parents consider a basic phone as an alternative to a smartphone for younger children and as a way to diffuse peer pressure around smartphones. More information is available at www.waituntil8th.org
If you find these facts at all compelling, Take the Pledge:
- Since 2011, there has been a 59% increase in teens reporting depressive symptoms
- Scientific data shows that 2+ hours a day on social media correlates with a higher chance of having unhappy feelings
- Teens say their main way of coping with stress is to turn to a screen—this is concerning for many reasons and we need to ensure they have other coping skills
- Some schools are implementing innovative programs, such as wellness clubs, where teens teach their peers essential communication skills, like conflict resolution and relationship building
- State of the art therapies, including mindfulness, exposure therapy, and behavior activation, are being used to successfully treat anxiety and depression and yet many teens and adults don’t know that these proven interventions exist
- When teens suppress emotions, research shows it negatively impacts their school work and other cognitive tasks
- Just as toddlers’ brains are primed to learn language, teenage brains are primed for learning skills to navigate complicated emotions
- A recent study shows that when parents jump in, their stress goes down but their kid’s
stress goes up - It’s important to help teens get comfortable feeling uncomfortable
- There are forward-thinking, concrete solutions for parents, counselors, and educators