"Childhood ends with a smartphone": WhatsApp Support Group

[DavidPeckham]

If this is the sort of thread you're interested in, then you may have seen the story this week of two parents whose WhatsApp group discussing the research and risks around kids and smartphones, which has become a national network in the last few days.

"They'd discussed their reluctance to give their children smartphones. With this in mind, on Saturday, they set up a WhatsApp group called Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood, half assuming the parents united within it would just be the two of them talking to each other. Neither was prepared for what happened."

Their national group reached its cap, and then again after they managed to extend it, so they've begun regional groups for parents wanting support or a space to discuss the topic, and the South East group is here for anyone who's also interested to explore it.

Free to join here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/JyrUaaXWR405LjJZeSRWKR

If you haven't seen any of the articles, a non-paywalled feature is here, outlining how organically the conversation was shaped and how far it's gone

“As soon as you give someone a smartphone you end their childhood,” "The two friends aren’t aiming to put pressure on the government or technology firms to change things. Their goal is either more modest, or more ambitious, depending on how you look at it: to mobilise parents to change the conversation, on the basis that there’s safety in numbers. “We want to help other people make the decision not to [give their child a smartphone],” says Greenwell. “The ideal outcome would be that we’ve shifted the social norm.” Their decision to set up a group that anyone could join was inspired by a similar initiative taken by parents in Spain last year."

 

[DavidPeckham]

Since posting, there are now 20+ local groups around the country, a petition to govt and a website launching on Monday. Whatever your view on the debate might be, it's a good example of people mobilising: https://linktr.ee/smartphonefreechildhood

[Penguin68]

Not terribly ED specific...

(admin edit - moved to family room) 

Edited February 10, 2024 by Joe

[DavidPeckham]

Except for every parent and child in an area well-known for schools and families that might want to join the South East London chapter of a nationwide conversation. 

But also, yes, there are more pigeons on the benches in Goose Green these days, and don't even get me started about Screwfix!

Thanks for refocusing on the things that matter.

[Penguin68]

The reason there are different boards on this site is to allow different types of communication to be filtered to those who want it. This seems very specific to those with children who want to discuss issues to do with their children's well being. If you want to make a big political issue of it, it still isn't appropriate to a board which discusses Dulwich Specific problems, or Dulwich specific taken on those. 

Should local schools take unique sets of actions to address these issues, for instance, then discussion on a Dulwich specific board might be appropriate.