Here is the paradox...there is no more motivated a force I know of than parents. We, as a tribe, care for our kids beyond words. And, yet, how often do we see parents speaking out for our children as a united front? We see student activism but where is the parent activism?
This is a moment in time when we can come together for a major cause. Last week we launched Away For The Day, an initiative to get parents to speak up and get involved in changing cell phone policies in middle schools so phones are put away and our students can learn and socialize more productively. We received more than 2,000 pledges of support—which was great but we need to let so many other parents know.
Can you help us grow the cause? If so, please go to Away For The Day and pledge (if you haven’t already), and forward this email to 5 friends asking them to do the same. **When people pledge they also will see all the free resources.
I am a big believer in guiding change based on solid research and this initiative is indeed based on data. I am reminded of the singer, Bono, whose organization, ONE, works to reduce global poverty. Bono calls himself a “Factivist.”
Here is one example of a parent activist who contacted us to share how the website is helping him make changes:
Tom Henriod, a father of four, in Salt Lake City, UT is leading the charge to get cell phones out of the schools in his district. “I have had meaningful correspondence with the principal and assistant principal and the materials on “Away for the Day” address well their concerns associated with the difficulty of enacting a policy, namely, clear messaging about the policy to parents, faculty, administration and students as well as clear policy examples and enforcement procedures.”
For this TTT, talk with your children about ways parents work to be change makers. Here are some questions to get you started.
Here is the paradox...there is no more motivated a force I know of than parents. We, as a tribe, care for our kids beyond words. And, yet, how often do we see parents speaking out for our children as a united front? We see student activism but where is the parent activism?
This is a moment in time when we can come together for a major cause. Last week we launched Away For The Day, an initiative to get parents to speak up and get involved in changing cell phone policies in middle schools so phones are put away and our students can learn and socialize more productively. We received more than 2,000 pledges of support—which was great but we need to let so many other parents know.
Can you help us grow the cause? If so, please go to Away For The Day and pledge (if you haven’t already), and forward this email to 5 friends asking them to do the same. **When people pledge they also will see all the free resources.
I am a big believer in guiding change based on solid research and this initiative is indeed based on data. I am reminded of the singer, Bono, whose organization, ONE, works to reduce global poverty. Bono calls himself a “Factivist.”
Here is one example of a parent activist who contacted us to share how the website is helping him make changes:
Tom Henriod, a father of four, in Salt Lake City, UT is leading the charge to get cell phones out of the schools in his district. “I have had meaningful correspondence with the principal and assistant principal and the materials on “Away for the Day” address well their concerns associated with the difficulty of enacting a policy, namely, clear messaging about the policy to parents, faculty, administration and students as well as clear policy examples and enforcement procedures.”
For this TTT, talk with your children about ways parents work to be change makers. Here are some questions to get you started.
Recently I received a wonderful email from Adam Slusher, vice principal at Pennsville Middle School in New Jersey, who did a thoughtful rollout of Away For The Day, using many of the free resources we’ve put together to help people through the process. What I think is great about the letter is that it maps out in great detail the rules they created as well as details on how they implemented Away For The Day.
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It has been four years since my team and I launched The Away For The Day (AFTD) campaign to help people get sound cell phone policies into schools. The research remains clear that when phone use is limited at schools, students do better socially, academically, and emotionally. Given the enormous increases in screen time and social isolation over the past two years, as well as the jump in mental health problems, ensuring healthy phone policies is more important than ever. Today, I share some wonderful examples of how the AFTD Campaign has led to real changes in schools across the country.
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The science is clear: Having phones used less during the school day increases connections and decreases distractions. Students do better socially and emotionally, as shown by research. Now more than ever, it’s time to look at our Away For The Day Campaign, which is full of tools to help bring change to your elementary, middle, or high school.
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