Submitted by Daria Miano
Since the dawn of modern technological innovation, the parents of each new generation have had to go beyond the examples set by their own parents to make decisions about how to best integrate and utilize new technologies in their own homes. Americans rapidly welcomed radios, televisions, telephones, personal computers, and the Internet into the home and they have become integral to the daily lives of many. Today’s parents and caretakers have a new decision to contend with… what technologies do they invite into their children’s backpacks and pockets?
The world has changed a lot since the introduction of the Apple ii3 in 1983 and the iPhone in 2007. Public pay phones are few and far between at a time when connectivity is more important than ever. Children lead robust after-school lives that often require the coordination of carpools between various destinations, elementary-aged students are given Internet-based homework assignments, and the primary method of communication between parents, schools and extra-curricular activities is frequently digital. Some families have found a solution by offering their children iPhones and Android smartphones, but others are hesitant to allow their young children unrestricted access to unfiltered Internet content and social media. The quote “It takes a village” has never been more relevant.
Bedford Promise is a new, parent-led organization and movement that seeks to provide the “village” with up-to-date resources as they navigate the decisions surrounding the smartphones, cell phones, and communications gadgets currently available in the marketplace. The Bedford Promise website (www.bedfordpromise.org) is a clearinghouse that includes a list of current smartphone alternatives, tutorials on various ways to “dumb down” smartphones, and articles that discuss the implications of how children are affected by modern technologies. Additionally, the website supports families who have decided to delay the purchase of a smartphone for their children until at least the 8th grade. Parents can sign a pledge stating their intention to wait.
Following the launch of the website in February, Bedford parents have begun adding their pledges to the Bedford Promise. Their inspirations for participating in the movement are diverse.
Chenie Bell’s insight is based on experiences with her older children. “As the mother of two high school boys, hindsight tells me that making the Bedford Promise is the right thing to do. The first time around, we underestimated the downside to giving our pre-teens smartphones. For me, this promise represents a commitment to grow as a parent and stay on the learning curve of technology and social media in the lives of my children.”
Renae Nichols expresses her concern that the jury is still out on how these devices affect children and she states her desire to create a community of parents with similar goals. “The information that I have seen or heard in the last few years, from researchers, pediatricians, and parents, has only confirmed for me that it makes sense to hold off on smartphones for as long as possible. I remember hearing someone in a podcast saying that the current generation of youth are the guinea pigs. Right now, no one really knows for sure how all this electronic stimulation will play out in the long run. So for me, the Bedford Promise is really about creating a community for myself, and hopefully for my kids, so we don’t feel like such huge outliers around those who have made different choices about when to start letting kids use smartphones”
Another Bedford elementary school parent emphasizes the importance of awareness. “I think Bedford Promise is important because it will help bring attention to some of the research about the impact of smartphones and social media on kids. I hope that raising awareness to these issues will motivate more parents to sign up for the promise. The more parents who pledge to wait, the easier it is for other families to also wait. If there are a lot of kids without smartphones, it takes away the strength of the plea ‘But everybody else has one.’ It is much harder to wait if literally, everyone else has one.”
The stated objective of the Bedford Promise according to their website is “to reduce, if not eliminate, the social pressure to have a smartphone”. The organization also has plans to host educational community events and they have partnered with local healthcare professionals, technology leaders, and professionals. As a community organization, Bedford Promise respects the decisions made by all families within our community and seeks to provide a positive forum for information and support. Bedford Promise was modeled after the Concord Promise which has steadily gained ground in neighboring Concord, MA.
Click this link to learn more about Bedford Promise – https://www.bedfordpromise.org
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