Cell Phone Recommendations

Dear UCC Families,

As partners in your child’s growth and well-being, we want to share an important message grounded in research, experience, and care for our students’ long-term health.

Growing evidence and research shows that children who receive smartphones before the age of 14 face higher risks of poor mental health outcomes, including increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. These risks are closely tied to early exposure to social media, constant connectivity, disrupted sleep, and reduced opportunities for in-person social development.

For these reasons, most child development and mental health experts recommend the following:

• No smartphones until at least age 14

• No social media before age 16

• No screens in bedrooms, to protect sleep and emotional regulation
  
  

Why This Matters:

We now know far more about the effects of early smartphone use than we did a decade ago. Research shows that excessive smartphone use is linked to:

• Increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness

• Exposure to cyberbullying, explicit content, and online predators

• Reduced academic performance, focus, and sleep quality

• Signs of addiction, including phone dependency and emotional dysregulation

At UCC Schools, we see firsthand how deeply technology can shape students’ focus, relationships, and sense of self. Delaying smartphone access helps protect childhood, supports healthy brain development, and allows students to build strong social and emotional skills before navigating the pressures of digital life.

You are not alone in this choice. Families across our UCC school community are making a shared commitment to wait to give their child a smartphone together. 

We invite you to join other UCC families by signing the Wait Until 8th pledge here: https://www.waituntil8th.org/

When our families make this decision together, it becomes easier for children to accept boundaries and harder for any one child to feel left out. This is about community, care, and doing what we know is best for our children—now and in the future.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for the thoughtful decisions you make every day to support your child’s well-being.

With appreciation,
Shaba Martinez
Chief Academic Officer
United Community Center Schools