The South Padbury Primary School Board wants parents to consider hitting the pause button on smartphones, cyber bullying, harmful content, doom scrolling and screen addiction.
‘Wait Mate’ is a movement empowering parents to hit pause on smartphones until at least high school. We connect you with like-minded families in your child’s school year, so kids can be kids for longer.
We are a group of primary school parents brought together by a desire to avoid a phone-based future for our children and the belief that we have the power to make positive change.
Inspired by Wait Until 8th in the USA, we’ve created a not-for-profit Australian movement to halt the worrying statistics. Our only motive is to extend the nourishing, play-based childhood our children deserve and slow down, growing up.
It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of technology but it’s equally inspiring to recognise that the solution is in our hands. If we all take action and sign the pledge to hit pause on smartphones until (at least) high school, there will be less peer pressure and no reason to own one in primary school. This is the reason we’ve designed the pledge to connect you with like-minded parents in your child’s specific school cohort so you can stand stronger, together.’
Why Wait?
Teen anxiety and depression rates are soaring globally, largely blamed on excessive smartphone use during childhood. Psychologists are ringing alarm bells. Tech-savvy parents, including Silicon Valley executives, advocate delaying smartphone access until high school or later.
Here’s why:
The tech industry designs smartphone apps to be ‘sticky’ for profit, mirroring the addictive nature of gambling. Recent studies suggest smartphone dependence triggers addictive brain responses akin to alcohol, drug, and gambling addictions. Smartphones are like pokies in your children’s pocket constantly persuading them to crave more.
4-7 hrs
Playing outdoors, spending time with friends, reading books and hanging out with family are all important developmental opportunities that are being replaced with screen time. Instead of being kids, learning and sleeping, children are distracted, with some receiving 237+ notifications and spending 4-7 hours per day on their smartphones.
46%
Excessive technology use among children leads to elevated cortisol levels, hindering calmness and contributing to anxiety disorders. Jonathan Haidt’s research indicates that over 46 percent of teens are constantly online, correlating with increased suicide rates, self-harm, and depression worldwide. Notably, suicide rates among Gen Z girls surpass those of any previous generation in the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Bullying is no longer limited to the playground. Bullies seek to harm children through texts and social media, often making retreat for the victim impossible. The most common medium used for cyber bullying is the phone. About one out of every four children has experienced cyber bullying, and about one out of every six children has done it to others.
42%
Smartphones grant children unrestricted access to pornography, with marketers intentionally targeting youth online. Research reveals that 42% of online youth users have encountered online pornography, with 66% reporting unwanted exposure through online ads. Moreover, children are not just consumers but creators of sexual content, increasingly engaging in sexting. Additionally, various apps provide opportunities for sexual predators to track, groom, and harm children.
Research indicates that smartphones and portable screen devices impact the sleep patterns of children and teens, affecting both the duration and quality of sleep. Excessive smartphone use correlates with shorter total sleep time and reduced sleep quality in younger children. Some children even wake up during the night to check texts or social media, exacerbating sleep disturbances. Such disruptions in childhood sleep are associated with various health issues, including poor diet, obesity, weakened immune system, stunted growth, and mental health concerns.
Research indicates that smartphones and portable screen devices impact the sleep patterns of children and teens, affecting both the duration and quality of sleep. Excessive smartphone use correlates with shorter total sleep time and reduced sleep quality in younger children. Some children even wake up during the night to check texts or social media, exacerbating sleep disturbances. Such disruptions in childhood sleep are associated with various health issues, including poor diet, obesity, weakened immune system, stunted growth, and mental health concerns.ted growth, and mental health concerns.
Check out the ‘Wait Mate’ website and the resources below. Become informed and knowledgeable about online safety and how to best protect your children. Be engaged with parent online safety sessions when offered at your child’s school. And ask questions.
Take The Pledge!
Join the movement and talk about pledging with your year level families.