We love Portland parents, but what happened to them? Six years ago, when our daughter started school at Reiche, we were proud to be able to say that our elementary school, in contrast to those in some other states, boasted not a single cellphone in sight anywhere. If any fifth-graders had them, they were buried deep in their backpacks and not out in the open.
Now, in just a few short years, that has completely changed. The number of elementary school students who own cellphones has skyrocketed. This reflects national trends; as of 2019, over half of all children ages 10-12 had their own smartphones, according to a Common Sense Media survey.
This is very concerning. Phones are addictive, and we should wait as long as possible before willingly introducing our kids to addictive behavior. Electronics lead to decreased sleep and ability to concentrate. Studies have also shown that there is a correlation between smartphones and anxiety, depression and suicide in kids. For all of these reasons, I encourage you to be a parent who is reluctant to provide a phone for your young child.
I hope that being home all together has led more parents to make the decision to give their kids as many years as possible to just be kids and not worry about responsibilities like phones.
Annie Antonacos
Portland
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