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My favorite memories growing up were the ones spent in nature. You could find me with dirty bare feet up some tree in just about every season. A couple days out of the week, Mama would take my siblings and I out on hiking trails or on walks in the park. We had a thing for venturing off the beaten path, making our way through the trees and little bits of open field to find all kinds of plants, rocks, and animals. Looking back on my childhood, I remember more joy and peace in those moments of soaking up nature than the memories spent indoors on my phone.

"When should I get my child a phone?"

Teachers rely more and more on technology to support their students' growth. While smartphones offer a lot of great apps and sources of information, a typical device actively tries to divert young minds through activities like gaming and YouTube rabbit holes. 

But with Pinwheel, your child can enjoy all of the support, with none of the distractions.

"I sent 36,000 texts the first month I had a “REAL” phone"

It was the summer of 2009, I had mowed many lawns and had done odd jobs to pay for two specific things I had worked towards all summer. At the age of 14, I wanted nothing more than an excellent music collection and a cell phone with which to text and call friends.

Curious about the apps found on a Pinwheel phone? Take a look at some fun features found within Pinwheel apps below!

Dr. Mike Brooks from our therapist council shared this journal article with us recently: “The impact of digital technology use on adolescent well-being.” It’s a 2020 “study of studies” on adolescents, technology, and well-being. We read it so you don't have to and pulled out what we felt were the key points!

In our first post about Managing Screen Time, we dove into managing our children’s screen time, and the difference between using technology as a tool versus a passive source of entertainment. If you missed our first post, take a moment to read about current screen time challenges, like how social media and smartphones make parenting harder. You can also find suggestions on how to embrace the new kids tech era in the healthiest possible way. 

Does the phrase “summer break” give you memories of catching fireflies at dusk and splashing in sprinklers with friends? Did you read for hours under the sun, sleep in a tent or take beach trips with your family? Or how about "winter break"? Hot chocolate and hours of family time spent reading and playing games? 

For most of us, our fond holiday break memories don’t involve much screen time, and it can be difficult to accept that tech is a larger part of kids' lives today than it was in our childhood. In this two-part series, we’ll dive into when screen time is ok, and ideas on incorporating technology into your routine in a healthy way.

By trusted Pinwheel Guest
Julie T., a Pinwheel Parent from CO.

Jackson, 8-years-old at the time, hopped into my minivan, and before I could pull out of the school parking lot, he said, “Everybody has a smartphone, but me.”

Everyone must learn how to use a smartphone. The question of how and when is better answered by another question: what is the lifelong relationship you want to have with a smartphone: will you serve it or will it serve you?