Let Kids Be Kids
Rochester Parents Join National Movement to Delay Smartphones for Kids
A growing grassroots movement of Rochester parents is taking a stand against early smartphone use by pledging to delay giving their children smartphones until at least the end of 8th grade. This local initiative is part of the national Wait Until 8th campaign, a parent-led movement aimed at protecting childhood from the negative effects of early smartphone use.
The mission is simple but urgent: wait until the end of 8th grade - and let kids be kids.
When you think of childhood summer days, what comes to mind? Splashing in the creek, riding bikes until dusk and flashlight tag under the stars? Now imagine that joy replaced. Three kids sit at a park—ages 8, 9, and 10—each glued to a glowing screen. No laughter. No movement. Just scrolling.
This is the new normal. And Rochester families are saying: not for our kids.
Although the average age children receive their first smartphone is now just 10 years old, more Rochester families are pushing back. They are joining forces to safeguard the elementary and middle school years from the constant distractions, social pressures, and mental health risks that come with smartphone access.
“Smartphones are designed to be addictive—even for fully developed adult brains,” says Adam Hamilton, Psychotherapist and Owner of Rochester Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Clinic . “Childhood is a time for play, learning, and real-world connection. Constant digital stimulation can interfere with social-emotional development, attention, and overall mental health.”
When parents sign the Wait Until 8th online pledge, they commit to delaying smartphone use for their child until at least the end 8th grade. Once ten families from the same grade and school sign, participants receive a list of other like-minded families - helping to create a supportive community and reduce peer pressure.
“Most parents I talk to only get their elementary or middle schooler a smartphone because they feel like everyone else already has one,” says April Jennings, a Rochester parent and local organizer of the pledge. “The pressure is intense, and it feels inevitable. But I want more for my kids. I want them surrounded by friends who aren’t glued to screens, who are still playing, still present. There’s strength in numbers, and by banding together, we’re creating real change.”
For parents who need to stay in touch with their children while they’re out of the house, the movement suggests alternatives like basic phones without internet access or smartwatches designed for calling and messaging - devices that allow for communication without the downsides of full smartphones.
Parents can take the pledge at waituntil8th.org and follow the local Rochester group on Instagram at @waituntil8th_rochester.