Phones are designed to be addictive; so are many of the apps we access. How is this impacting the ability to pay attention? How does it affect learning?
On June 3, 2025 at La Ballona Elementary, families gathered for the “Stronger Together! Parent Ed Series: Technology & its Impact”—a talk that left parents applauding, reflecting, and planning next steps. The conversation centered around “slow tech,” a growing movement that encourages intentional, not total, disconnection from devices in children’s lives.
Frances Rosenau, a teacher and parent, shared her personal shift in thinking. “As a parent, I thought, you know, traffic is dangerous, and my kid can’t just go to 7-Eleven—how would they get in touch with me?” she said. “But then I thought, what are they losing in the meantime?” Rosenau has since taken the Wait Until 8th pledge, which asks families to delay giving smartphones to children until eighth grade.
That pledge is now backed by new school policy. La Ballona Principal Dr. Becky Godbey took the mic to announce a major change: La Ballona Elementary has officially updated its phone and smartwatch policy. What once suggested a fifth-grade phone as a promotion gift now recommends waiting until eighth grade. “Hot off the press,” Dr. Godbey said, met with cheers and applause.
The talk painted a picture of just how much screens are shaping children’s lives—and not always for the better. Counselor Mrs. Serrano warned that some kids are waking up in the middle of the night to use iPads while their families sleep. “They’re exhausted, anxious, and not getting the rest they need.” Others experience headaches, red eyes, and plummeting grades. One middle school student reportedly told her mom that her friend spends “most of recess on her phone,” and it’s been “so hard.”
Dr. Godbey said today’s students are not the same as those in 2012. Emotional fragility, shortened attention spans, and a lack of problem-solving skills are becoming common. “You’re never going to get ahead of TikTok trends,” she added, describing challenges where students tried to damage Chromebooks with paper clips or repaint school bathrooms.
A chart at the front of the room listed recommended screen time: zero hours for babies under 18 months, then gradually increasing under adult supervision. But nuance was key. One parent asked if TV counts. Another noted that some screen use involves creativity, like building with Lego apps or writing. Organizers agreed. “We’re not banning tech,” one said. “We’re guiding kids toward healthier use.”
The conversation also touched on family dynamics. One parent reflected, “Sometimes the tablet becomes the pacifier,” but said she appreciated being reminded to play games like Shoots and Ladders or the alphabet game in the car. Another parent thanked organizers for “all this information,” saying that forums like this help spark important conversations at home.
The energy in the room made one thing clear: families are not interested in banning technology—but they are ready to change the terms of its presence in their kids’ lives.
Clara Carvalho
