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Join the Phone Pact

Hey Marin, let's delay phones as long as possible - and then keep them simple until high school.

An informational graphic showing which electronic devices children can use until high school. Devices labeled as 'OK' include phones, smartwatches, and basic cell phones, with approved uses like talking, texting, video calls, location services, maps, weather, calendar, and health monitors. Devices labeled as 'NOT YET' include smartphones, with restricted uses like social media, YouTube, browsers, and video games. A green speech bubble states, 'Let's keep phones and watches simple until high school!'

By delaying nonstop access to distracting apps and features in their pockets (and on their wrists), we can help our kids grow up and thrive in real life.

Join KidsIRL Phone Pact
Únase al pacto de KidsIRL

We recognize there may come a time when we parents want to be able to communicate with our kids on the go, but we also want to avoid unnecessary risks, harms, and nonstop distractions so our kids are safe and healthy.

There are options!We can get creative with landlines, walkie-talkies, or simple watches in the elementary school years. In middle school, we can opt for a simple phone or watch that allows only calling, texting, and other basic tools… while delaying nonstop access to distracting apps and social media.

By slowing down phones together, we reduce pressure on both parents and kids! Kids want smartphones because “everyone else has them” - and then a culture of games, YouTube, and social media soon follows. Let’s flip the norm in Marin and take back childhood so it’s more in real life than online.

Next Steps:

Join the Kids IRL Phone Pact! Over 1,400 TK-8th graders in Marin are already on board! Sign up in English or in Spanish.

Spread the word. Share this webpage, this Instagram post about Kids IRL, or this flyer (bilingual) with the parents/caregivers of your child’s friends and classmates. The more people in your circle who join the Phone Pact, the easier change will be.

Build a Kids IRL community at your school! Become a Kids IRL Ambassador or email us to be connected to existing ambassadors at your school.

FAQ:

  • Yes! If your child has a watch or phone that’s limited to text, talk & tracking (and other basic harmless tools), then absolutely you should join the Phone Pact!

    If your child has a smartphone with lots of apps and features on it, then you can join the Phone Pact if you agree to remove Internet access, social media, video games, and YouTube on their phone until high school. It’s NEVER too late to dial back access on our kids’ phones. Learn more about how to reel in features on an iPhone.

    By joining the Phone Pact, you become part of the Kids IRL community in Marin and we’ll provide you with support and camaraderie to keep tech in check.

  • Yes! The Phone Pact is specifically about keeping mobile phones and watches simple. It's not about what you do at home on other devices. Phones and watches - that are constantly with kids wherever they go - are what we're tackling with the Phone Pact.

    That said, our ScreenSense slow approach to tech applies to all types of youth tech use - including how the iPad is used. If you’re seeking support to set limits at home, visit this webpage.

  • No problem! Sign up via the Phone Pact form but indicate "Unsure" in your response to the Phone Pact agreement. We'll loop you in to Kids IRL communications and support. We're all on this parenting journey together, and a key goal of Kids IRL is to foster local community in Marin around the topic of rolling out tech slowly and intentionally to our kids.

  • Most importantly, you get to be part of a hyper-local community solution to a shared problem! 

    When you join the Kids IRL Phone Pact, you receive:

    • A welcome email from Kids IRL HQ with a link to join the Kids IRL WhatsApp Parent Chat where you can ask questions and find ongoing support 

    • A Welcome Packet with content and resources about Kids IRL in Marin

    • On-the-ground support and community-building at your school or grade level to help sustain the phone pact (and other tech decisions) - facilitated by school ambassadors

    • Access to Lunch & Learn virtual parent ed talks about the tech topics parents want most (like texting, iPhones, smartwatches)

    • “One Step” towards healthy tech use - a monthly action step via email from ScreenSense (Kids IRL HQ)

    • Quarterly updates on Kids IRL action and progress in Marin

    • Invitations to occasional in-person Kids IRL or partners’ events

  • Wonderful! We are working towards the same goal - protecting childhood from the overreach of tech. If you have a strong Wait Until 8th community at your school, keep it! You can ALSO join Kids IRL to be part of the hyper-local community and communications we’re supporting specifically in Marin - e.g., local events, Parent Ed, and other resources to help us all stick with simple phones through the tricky transitions. In fact, a Kids IRL School Ambassador could connect WU8th parents at your school to the Kids IRL community. If you have questions about bringing Kids IRL and Wait until 8th together in your school community, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at kidsirl@screensense.org!

  • Yes and no.

    First the no: Tablets are not as mobile as smartphones so therefore aren’t as intrusive in daily life. Using a tablet is often done at home or in a stationary location since it doesn’t fit in your pocket or on your wrist. Nonstop access to smartphones full of sticky content is more problematic.

    Second the yes: Technologically, tablets are essentially big phones. They have all the capabilities of a desktop computer or a smartphone, and for that reason they should be used cautiously with children - with limits and guardrails. Tablets also enable texting, so parents should teach their kids how to text when that door is opened. Just as an iPhone can be stripped down, tablets should always be set up simply and intentionally for a child’s use.

  • We do not recommend giving any kind of phone or watch to kids younger than 5th grade. Getting a landline is a great delay tactic! But we understand there are multiple reasons why parents want a form of mobile communication with their kids.

    In this case we recommend starting with a smartwatch and making sure it is set up correctly for a child’s use. With more tech features, comes more parenting, more risk, and more distraction. For more considerations, read here.

  • We don’t recommend a specific phone but we can help you sort through the options. Saying yes to a phone doesn’t mean saying yes to a fully-loaded brand new iPhone. Check out our curated list of simple phones and watches. 

    We do recommend getting a landline at home and encouraging those in your child’s social orbit to do the same! Having a landline is a great delay tactic and an opportunity for your child to learn basic life skills like making and answering phone calls and memorizing parents’ phone numbers. Find landline options here.

    Collective Action Tip: Some parents gather with their friends to review and select the same basic phone or watch, so all their kids have the same phone or watch with limited features!

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We are looking for funding options and grant opportunities. If you are interested in joining our Kids IRL fundraising team, email us.