Holding

off on a Smartphone

If you want to hold off on a Smartphone and don't know where to start. Smartphone Free Childhood have you covered.

How should I talk to my child about smartphones?

Tips for parents at every stage:

Talking to your child about when to get a smartphone isn't always easy – especially as they get older and 'everyone else has one'. But the right conversation at the right time can make all the difference. These guides will help you navigate the discussion with empathy, honesty, and confidence.
Every family’s situation is different – but one thing’s clear: more and more parents are questioning the rush to smartphones. Whether you’re just starting to think about it or facing daily pressure from your child, you’re not alone. These guides offer practical ways to respond with calm and clarity.

Click here for all the 'How to conversation guides' from Smartphone Free Childhood.

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Share the evidence

If your child responds better to the evidence, share how childhood is changing:

We’ve seen the impact with our own eyes, and now the data backs us up.
Study after study confirms that smartphones, and the social media platforms they unlock, are fundamentally reshaping childhood.
From anxiety to attention, social connection to sleep, the effects are deep, measurable – and mounting.

Click here for the evidence from Smartphone Free Childhood.

Smartphone alternatives

If you’ve decided to hold off on a smartphone for now, you’re far from alone. But finding the right alternative that works for your child isn’t always easy.

That’s why smartphone Free Childhood has put together a guide to the best child-friendly 'non-smart' phone options out there: simple phones, follow-on phones for older kids, GPS trackers, data-free SIMs, and more.

The good news? Whatever your child’s age and stage, there are plenty of safer options that keep them connected – without opening the door to addictive apps, algorithms, and online risks.

Click here for a comprehensive guide to Smartphone alternative options.

Sign the parent pact to say you are holding off on a Smartphone

The Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact is a way to band together with other parents in your area to agree to delay getting your child a smartphone until at least 14, and social media until 16.  It’s all about strength in numbers, if your child knows that other kids in their class won’t be getting a smartphone for a few years either, the peer pressure instantly dissolves.

Talk about:   If you have a large sign up in your class you can also s hare the results of the pact with your child when they say 'I'm the only one in my class that doesn't have one!'.

Click here it takes 30 seconds to sign the Parent Pact, and the more of us who do, the quicker we'll change the social norm.