“Let kids be kids a little longer” is a motto of Wait Until 8th, an organization that encourages parents to delay giving their children smartphones until the end of eighth grade. With the advent of the iPhone in 2007 and the rise of YouTube and TikTok, our children have slowly become the “anxious generation,” a term coined by psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt. Wait Until 8th seeks to turn this tide.
Why wait until 8th grade? Evidence indicates that a child who receives a smartphone before the age of 13 is more likely to have higher rates of suicidal thoughts, difficulty with self-regulation and lower self-esteem.
There are many other reasons why parents should wait to give their child a smartphone. First and foremost, the very nature of childhood is changing. Over the last century, childhood usually consisted of playing outside, hanging out with friends, playing with toys or spending time with family. Over the last decade, this time-honored tradition has started to go by the wayside.
As a teacher, I have observed a decrease in attention spans and engagement over the last decade. Smartphones and other screens have served as a constant distraction. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study from the National Institute of Health in 2025 indicated that higher screen use was associated with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention disorders.
Additionally, research has demonstrated that smartphones are addictive. The tech industry has intentionally designed apps and social media to draw us in and keep us craving more. With every ding and beep, we get a hit of the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, dopamine. Even adults struggle with this endless loop.
Smartphones can also impair relationships. Once a parent gives their child a smartphone, the efforts to minimize the risks begin. Parents block apps and schedule “downtime.” They may insist the phone be put away during meals or kept out of a child’s room at bedtime. Due to the addictive nature of the phone and a child’s desire to never miss out, these actions often lead to arguments. These disagreements can erode a parent’s relationship with their child. Parents are often left feeling isolated and helpless.
To address this common experience, Wait Until 8th takes an approach that builds community among parents. Parents may take a pledge to delay giving their child a smartphone on the Wait Until 8th website. Once 10 parents from the same grade and school have made the pledge, all parents receive an email listing the names of the other parents who have made the pledge. Parents will know they are not alone in delaying this new rite of passage.
The good news is that there are many alternatives to smartphones. First, ask yourself whether your child truly needs a phone to reach you. If not, then hold off. If your child is old enough to start chatting on the phone with friends, consider a TinCan phone, which offers the wonder of an old-school landline. The Wait Until 8th website lists several other smartphone and smartwatch alternatives.
There are currently two local chapters of Wait Until 8th in Springfield and Chatham. Both chapters have active Facebook pages. In early May, we held a Screen Sanity Parent Training and hope to hold another in the fall. Keep an eye on our pages for future events.
Other organizations also offer encouragement and information for parents. The Anxious Generation Movement suggests the following four “new norms” for childhood: no smartphones before high school, no social media before 16, phone-free schools from bell to bell and more “independence, free play and responsibility in the real world.” Other groups such as Let Grow, a Smartphone Free Childhood and Fairplay also focus on restoring childhood.
When parents delay the smartphone, their children will miss out. They will miss out on potential cyberbullying, inappropriate content or attention-stealing videos. Instead, by postponing the smartphone, we can make room for real-life friendships and experiences. Our children, like us, are wired for human connection.
Melissa Hostetter is the leader of the Springfield chapter of Wait Until 8th. She is also a middle school teacher in Springfield District 186.
This article appears in Parent Summer 2026.
