Off the Bookshelf, Smartphone Usage

In 2018, a group of Yavneh parents partnered with the school administration to raise awareness about the pitfalls of cell phone usage among kids and teenagers. In the end, the impact on most family’s technology habits was minimal. Perhaps we moved the needle marginally but certainly not in a monumental way at that time.

It is good practice to reflect on the past to learn as we move forward. So why wasn't the initial campaign more effective? Upon reflection, I think we could have provided more context and education during the attempt five years ago. However, more significantly, I think the timing itself played a crucial role. Many people at the time were not yet ready for this discussion. It seems to me that the landscape has changed dramatically and people are currently more receptive to this discussion. The timing is right! Our recent survey of parents points to this as well. Sometimes good ideas are hatched before their time.

There has been a bevy of recent articles and research highlighting the concerns parents, doctors, mental health professionals and others have raised about the negative impact of cell phones and social media on today’s youth. Parents are giving this their attention. Students as well!

On our recent eighth grade graduation trip to Lake George, we tried something different. We collected all the student cell phones after Maariv and returned them the following morning after breakfast. (Yes, we brought 100 charging stations so they would be returned fully charged!). Though the new policy was met with expected groans when first announced to our 8th graders before the trip, listen to the sampling of reflections from them after the trip, in their own words….

“No phones on our trip allowed us to bond at night and unplug and hold a conversation. We had fun with each other and it was a good last "hangout" with people going to different schools. If I'm being completely honest, it probably allowed us to get a little more sleep!”

“I really liked not having phones after Maariv because it helped me bond with my friends. Sometimes when people are on their phones it can be hard to talk to them so it was nice to really be able to connect with my classmates.”

“Having no electronics at night enhanced our trip in many ways! It was nice to take a break from my phone, and I really enjoyed just talking to my friends at night while munching on snacks in our hotel room! At first when I heard no phones, I was disappointed, but in the end I couldn’t be more grateful that I was able to just disconnect. Regardless if I had my phone or not, the trip was amazing and I had a great time!”

“I think it was a good idea to not have phones in the night because there was more hanging out. We were able to watch a movie together which was very fun. There was more bonding to do and we were all tired anyways and if we had our phones we probably would have stayed up later.”

And finally…

“I don't think we even needed phones on the trip at all!”

We all like to wax nostalgic about the good ol’ days! For me, watching our graduates hang out at night, laughing, shmoozing, making eye contact and playing games was so heartwarming. I sat on the side as an observer, simply taking it all in.

We think about simpler times. We have a role to play! I fervently hope that our students enjoy time-honored summer activities such as riding bikes, chasing fireflies, playing catch, dancing in sprinklers and more. These activities build character, resilience, and friendship. Less scrolling and more living for our children.

Please be on the lookout for more thoughts, articles and information in our Tech Summer Series as we continue to give this our collective attention.

Wishing everyone a relaxing, rejuvenating, rejoicing and festive summer!

Rabbi Jonathan Knapp