We wait until at age 16 to introduce smartphones and social media, supporting identity and real-world relationships first.

Research consistently shows that early access to smartphones and social media correlates with heightened anxiety, depression, and decreased well-being among adolescents. In light of this, we are committing to wait until at least age 16 before introducing these technologies*. This allows time for foundational identity, character, and real-world relationships to form first. As a community, we will support one another in setting this boundary, knowing that a growing number of committed families shifts a culture over time. Delaying access gives our children the gift of resilience, creativity, and face-to-face connection during critical developmental years. We will also explore creative alternatives in our homes such as installing a landline or opting for a basic phone before age 16.

• Wait until 16 before introducing smartphones and social media

• Support one another to enforce this boundary

• Explore creative alternatives such as a landline or basic phone

* For families who have already introduced smartphones or devices and/or social media at the original time of signing

We recognize that some families may have already given their children smartphones and/or access to social media before age 16. If that is the case, there is still a valuable opportunity for parents to choose to walk back these privileges, explaining to their children that, in light of new research and wisdom, they are making adjustments for their well-being. This requires hard conversations and real direction change. But we remain encouraged that the sacrifice is worth it, and that we are surrounded by a strong and growing community of parents and caregivers that will support one another as we chart a different path that leads to our children’s flourishing.

We encourage in-person conversations to build empathy, emotional resilience, and authentic relationships.

Face-to-face conversations are essential for developing empathy, emotional regulation, and authentic relationships. We will encourage our kids to discuss important topics–whether conflicts, confessions, celebrations, or concerns–in-person rather than through texting or messaging. We will model this ourselves, create rhythms for family dialogue, and coach our children through hard conversations, reminding them that growth happens not in avoidance but through presence.

• Encourage important conversations to happen in-person

• Model in-person conversations on important topics for our children

• Create rhythms for regular family dialogue

• Coach our children on how to have these conversations well

We support regular, unstructured outdoor activities that build courage, creativity, and social-emotional skills.

Children thrive when they engage in unstructured, outdoor play and activities that challenge them to take healthy risks, build responsibility, take ownership, and navigate relationships. We commit to regularly encouraging activities like biking, hiking, team sports, climbing, fort-building, and free neighborhood play. These experiences foster perseverance, creativity, courage, and relational wisdom–traits that screens cannot substitute and that serve as critical foundations for life.

• Regularly encourage unstructured, outdoor play

• Prioritize activities that develop creativity and social-emotional skills

• Curate experiences that foster resilience and practical wisdom

We teach integrity and respect online by modeling thoughtful, loving, and accountable digital behavior.

Our digital lives should reflect the same character and integrity we seek to live offline. We will teach and model wisdom in digital spaces–thinking before we post, seeking consent when sharing others’ images or stories, and treating online engagement as an extension of loving our neighbor. A good rule of thumb we will encourage is: “Get parent or teacher approval before you post.” Together, we will nurture a culture where online life is approached with thoughtfulness and accountability.

• Model and teach digital citizenship marked by character and integrity

• Treat online engagement as an extension of loving our neighbor

• Establish practices such as “Get parent or teacher approval before you post” and seeking consent before posting others’ information

We keep screens out of certain spaces like bedrooms, cars, mealtimes, and gatherings to protect relational and restful moments.

Certain spaces are sacred for presence, connection, and rest. We commit to keeping phones and screens put away or out of cars, restaurants, the dinner table, time together with friends, bedrooms, bathrooms, church gatherings, school buses, and the classroom whenever possible. These “no zones” protect the relational, imaginative, and restorative rhythms of daily life. In place of screens, we will suggest songs, storytelling, games, conversation starters, and shared silence–practices that build bonds and cultivate attentiveness to one another.

• Establish and enforce relational spaces that are reserved for connection and rest

• Keep screens out of cars, restaurants, the dinner table, together with friends, bedrooms, bathrooms, church gatherings, school buses, and classrooms

• Suggest and practice healthy alternatives such as music, storytelling, games, and even silence

We store phones in common areas, keep them out of bedrooms at night, and start the day tech-free.

To steward our attention well, we will establish default homes for our phones when not in use: a basket by the front door, a charging station in a common area, or another centralized spot. Phones will stay out of bedrooms at night, and we will have a wake up routine before turning to our phones or other screens in the morning. Whenever possible, screen use will happen in public spaces, not private ones, promoting transparency and inviting natural conversation about what we consume and engage with.

• Establish and enforce default homes for all our phones when not in use

• Phones “sleep” outside of bedrooms at nighttime

• Commit to wake up routine before our phones and other screens turn on

• Keep screen usage in public spaces whenever possible

We leverage controls (e.g., time limits, password access, social media restrictions) as loving boundaries, not punishments.

Technology can serve us, but it must be intentionally tamed. We commit to using settings and safeguards that support wise usage: limiting time playing video games, preventing access to outside chat rooms, setting app and screen time limits, disabling social media (or using it only at designated times and at age-appropriate levels), and ensuring parents own the devices and know all passwords and activity logs. We view settings not as a lack of trust but as loving guardrails, offering our kids the freedom to grow in maturity while sheltered from unnecessary temptation and harm.

• Limit time playing video games

• Prevent access to outside chat rooms

• Set app and screen time limits

• Disable social media (or use it at designated times and at age-appropriate levels)

• Ensure parents own the devices and know all passwords and activity logs

We welcome and initiate conversations for accountability to the above commitments.

No family can do this alone. We recognize that changing a culture takes collective courage and mutual support. As parents and caregivers, we commit to being open about our technology habits and family rhythms, inviting encouragement, feedback, and accountability from others in our school community. We will initiate conversations with other families, share what's working and where we struggle, and offer grace to one another as we grow. Together, we aim to build a culture of shared wisdom and humble partnership as we raise our children in the digital age.

• Inform other families of your technology and screen habits and expectations

• Invite encouragement and accountability from your community

• Share both successes and failures to help others and receive support

• Normalize checking in and learning together as families journey side-by-side