The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood I Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt

Since it’s so common for kids of 11 or younger to have smartphones, it’s easy for parents to give up. Many kids were given smartphones at early ages before we had research that tells us of the negative consequences. Now that we know, it’s time for parents to sign “wait until 8th grade” contracts at their school so that there will be a number of kids without smartphones who can be friends and who therefore, won’t be totally left out.

In June of 2020 the UK enacted the Age Appropriate Design Code giving companies some responsibility for how they treat minors. Defaults for privacy must be set to the highest level and defaults for geolocation should not allow anyone to find you. The adult age for this law is 18. California adopted its own version in 2022 as have other states. This is something congress should do. When congress did adopt a bill, it ended up with age 13 as some people were worried that kids would not have access to information about birth control and abortion.
This Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act also did not require companies to verify a user’s age and most make no effort. When Louisiana required users to show state driver’s licenses, porn sites just blocked anyone from that state. There are ways to verify age such as by using device IDs. States also need to lighten up on vague neglect laws that can prevent parents from allowing kid to engage in independent play outdoors. Cities can also create more play-friendly spaces where kids can access playgrounds without crossing busy streets. This can be done by closing selected streets at times. Ideally, everyone spends more time outdoors.

This is easy and inexpensive. Make your school phone-free all day, not just during classes and add more free-play time. Push back against parents who want children to call any time of day. During unsafe situations students are safer listening to adults rather than focusing on their phones. Consider how to let students use laptops without getting lost in social media or texting. Hire more male teachers as role models.
Recess should be longer with time before and after school if possible. Adults should supervise but not intervene. Principals and assistants should be visible at these times. (Doug: I was.) Challenge students to do some things at home they have never done before. Schools should have better playgrounds (There are ideas here.) with few rules, and include nature when possible. The current play time in US schools is 27 minutes a day, far less than what prisoners get. Don’t cut back on physical education, art, and music classes and expand them if you can. Don’t revoke recess as a punishment. These are the kids who need it the most.

This chapter reinforces concepts from previous chapters and adds detail for parents. In addition to limiting screen time based on age, parents are told how to maximize real world play and look for quality screen time rather than quantity. For teens, try to find the right kind of sleep away camp that doesn’t allow phones. Consider an exchange program with another family, perhaps in another country along with wilderness camping. Parents pressed for time need only read this chapter.
Here are links to websites mentioned in this chapter.
LetGrow.org
CommonSenseMedia.org
Center for Human TECHNOLOGY

In closing, Jonathan strongly advises each of us, regardless of our role, to SPEAK UP. Gen-Z should speak up as they may have the most influence. Parents should speak up to school principals. Teachers should link up to for a stronger coalition. To learn more, go to afterbabel.com and consider signing up. You will find a lot of information here to help you as you join this cause.

Jonathan is a professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His PhD is from the University of Pennsylvania. He taught at the University of Virginia for sixteen years. His research focuses on moral and political psychology as described in his book The Righteous Mind. You can follow him on X at @JonHaidt. The website anxiousgeneration.com offers more resources on this topic.