Kids' use of devices and social media is a topic many parents think about.
While 13 is commonly the required minimum age to use platforms like Snapchat and YouTube, data shows they’re on them much earlier.
The U.S. Surgeon General has said we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it’s sufficiently safe for children.
We spoke with a Northeast Ohio family to see how they’re approaching this issue, as well as a longtime local pediatrician, and talked with an expert in medicine, society and culture.
The Spachner Family
“Charlotte, who’s 8,” said Jessica Spachner, introducing her three children. “David is 5, and Lily is almost 2.”
When they’re little, life can feel simple, but babies grow up, and life can become more complicated. While we’d like to lock away things that might hurt our children, it’s not realistic.”
“We started to think, ‘Wow, we need to look into this,’” she said about smartphones.
Parenting is a constant risk-benefit analysis from picking the best car seat to college.
“I mean, you can go on and on as parents,” she smiled.
Jessica and Peter Spachner turn to research to help guide their decisions, including now, as they consider when to give their oldest daughter a smartphone. Studies show that most kids get their first phone between the ages of 10 and 13.
“It was actually to us, pretty alarming some of the negative impacts of smartphone usage. Social media usage, specifically,” said Jessica.
The Spachners have taken the Wait Until 8th pledge, a nationwide movement that empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade.
“What we really liked about it was that it was a community-wide thing,” she said.
Other parents in their daughter’s class have taken the pledge, too. Which is important, she said, so kids don’t feel like they’re alone or being punished.
Jessica Spachner said it felt like a reasonable and empowering action plan.
“Because sometimes it just feels like all of this stuff on the internet and social media is just happening, and the floodgates are open, and you’re trying to figure out, ‘How do I control some of this? How do I prevent overexposure?’” Spachner said.
Recent Developments
There is a lot to consider.
In June, the U.S. Surgeon General called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms. State that it’s associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed legislation requiring all school districts to create policies limiting cellphone use.
The governor referenced this year’s bestselling book, The Anxious Generation by Dr. Jonathan Haidt, which looks at the consequences of a phone-based childhood.
A longtime pediatrician
“What is at stake,” asked South Euclid pediatrician Dr. Shelly Senders of Senders Pediatrics. “I think is the future of this generation."
Senders said The Anxious Generation reflects what he’s been seeing in his practice for years: the adverse effects of smartphones and social media on children’s mental health.
“On a recent day, I might see 25 patients, and 12 to 14 of them come in for anxiety or depression."
He said his practice continues to treat the mental health needs of patients well into their twenties due to a shortage of psychiatrists to meet the demand.
“We need to be aware of the potential dangers of smartphones and to be able to give our children the fortitude to deal with that at an age that they're capable of dealing with it,” said Senders
Senders and his staff say they are committed to helping families meet the four new norms outlined in Haidt’s book.
- No smartphones before high school
- No social media before 16
- Phone-free schools
- More independence, free play, and responsibility in the real world
“This is a moment in time, and we shouldn't blow it,” said Senders. “It's an opportunity to really change the world."
WHAT IS A PARENT TO DO?
We also spoke with Eileen Anderson, the Anne Templeton Zimmerman MD professor in Bioethics, Department of Bioethics, School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.
“That is the question, how do we maximize the benefits and minimize the harm,” said Anderson.
Anderson studies how kids adapt to changes in their environments. She is also the mom of three teenage girls.
“So, this is a topic near and dear to my heart,” she said.
Anderson said a child’s rapidly developing brain is especially vulnerable to dopamine surges from social media.
She said the addictive nature of the technology, the immediacy, and the content they can access — are concerns.
“It distracts kids from where they need to be,” she said. “It kind of enhances all the other risks of adolescence.”
She also pointed to the potential benefits of providing a sense of community, belonging, and inclusion.
She said more research, especially long-term research, is needed to understand the full impacts and cautions parents not to take an all-bad or all-good stance on the topic.
Anderson said there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and right now, it’s parents who are left to shoulder the heavy lifting of determining what’s best for their child, making sure everyone understands the technology, and communicating openly and often about safe use.
She stressed the importance of digital and technology literacy because smartphones and social media only grow in advancements and use in all aspects of society.
Most importantly, she said, is talking with your child about what they’re seeing, how to stay safe online, how they’re feeling, and making decisions about smartphone use in an open and shared dialog.
“Adolescents want someone to understand,” she said. “They want the people in their lives who love them the most to be curious, to be concerned, and to care for them. So, getting our best information in a way that is building continued trust with our adolescent is always number one.”
The Spachner family has something else to consider with their daughter. They say she’ll be walking to school.
“So, that kind of presents its own challenges when considering a smartphone,” said Spachner.
Maintaining communication for safety will factor into their decision, which Spachner said she doesn’t want to be based on fear but facts and encouraged parents to research and talk with other families, as well, when making their decisions.
“Something we had heard in researching the Wait Until 8th pledge really resonated with us and that is the concept that is looking at a smartphone as an experience blocker,” she said. “You know, the more we can get back to a play-based childhood is something we are passionate about and looking to do with our own family.”
So, what are some options? There are flip phones, smartwatches, and devices that look like a typical smartphone, with features for kids but no internet.
