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- In The Town Of Greystones, Parents And Teachers Have Implemented A ‘no Phone Code’, Prohibiting Children From Having Mobile Phones Under The Age Of 12.
The New York Times. new york3 minutes ago
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The entire town has become a shield to save childhood from the ‘digital maze’ of smartphones.
The town of ‘Greystones’ in the European country Ireland has shown the world the path that every troubled parent is looking for today. 22 thousand people of this town have together decided that they will not let their children’s childhood be sacrificed to ‘smartphones’. This movement named ‘It Takes a Village’ has raised a collective wall against technology. In place of phones, ‘Youth Cafe’ and sports activities have been increased for children.
Events like ‘Phone-Free Beach Party’ have started. Inspired by this initiative of Greystones, other cities of Ireland Cork and Dublin have also adopted ‘No Smartphone Code’. Outside the country’s borders, parents’ groups have also started similar initiatives in Britain and Barcelona, Spain. When schools opened in Greystones after the Covid lockdown, the scene had changed.
Rachel Harper, principal of St. Patrick’s School, noticed that the children were not able to concentrate in class. He was troubled by the messages coming throughout the night. Their sleep was incomplete and some children were falling prey to eating disorders due to ‘calorie counting apps’. 12-year-old Bodie Mangan Geisler is the poster boy for this change. He says, ‘I am afraid that if I get addicted to the phone, I will not be able to play. I want to be healthy.’
A new ‘alertness’ is now visible in many such children. They are more active in school in the morning and now make plans to play face to face instead of virtual chat.
According to principal Rachel Harper, 70% of parents at eight primary schools have voluntarily signed up to the ‘no smartphone’ code. He said, ‘We will not give mobile phones to children before middle school. Because we want to prepare children for the digital future, not immerse them in it.
Where the headquarters of tech companies, the campaign of ‘no smartphone’
Ireland is home to the European headquarters of giants like Google, Meta and Apple, where children get a phone at the average age of 9. In such a situation, this initiative of Greystones is like removing the ‘darkness under the lamp’. The country’s Deputy PM Simon Harris, who himself is a resident of this town, has emerged as the biggest supporter of this campaign. The people of Greystones are happy that the children here are now finding the world in the fields.
