A smartphone-free childhood is becoming rare. Traditional childhood activities—playing outside, reading, and engaging with family—are increasingly replaced by hours spent on social media, YouTube, and texting. Children today spend an average of 3 to 7 hours daily staring at a screen, pushing aside essential experiences that foster development and creativity.

Research confirms that smartphone dependence activates similar brain responses to addiction to drugs, alcohol, and gambling. The tech industry deliberately designs apps and social media to keep users engaged longer—because the more time spent on a screen, the more money they make. Smartphones are like pocket-sized slot machines, constantly pulling children in for more.

The elementary and middle school years build the foundation for academic success. Yet, constant smartphone access interrupts concentration, making it harder for children to manage homework and projects effectively. Studies show that students with smartphones in the classroom experience lower grades and reduced cognitive capacity. Schools that ban smartphones report better academic performance among students.

Groundbreaking research from the National Institute of Health reveals that children who spend seven or more hours a day on screens exhibit premature thinning of the brain’s cortex—the region responsible for processing sensory information. This early thinning could have lasting implications for cognitive function and development.

The presence of a smartphone in a child’s bedroom significantly impacts both sleep quality and duration. Studies link excessive screen time to shorter sleep cycles, leading to poor diet, obesity, weakened immunity, and increased mental health concerns. Many adolescents even wake up in the middle of the night to check notifications, further disrupting rest.

A University of California study found that tweens who spend more time on screens are at greater risk for behavioral issues, including conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Excessive social media exposure, in particular, has been strongly linked to disruptive behaviors such as bullying and defiance.

Many parents regret introducing a smartphone into their child’s life, as it often weakens parent-child relationships. Constant digital distractions reduce meaningful face-to-face interactions, replacing real-world connections with online “friendships” that lack depth and emotional support.

Children are not emotionally equipped to navigate the complexities of social media. Seeing curated, idealized online lives can leave them feeling inadequate, left out, or unworthy. Research shows a direct link between social media use and increased depression. Overstimulation from screens also triggers elevated cortisol levels, leading to chronic anxiety. Suicide rates among girls aged 10–14 have tripled over the last 15 years, a rise strongly correlated with increased smartphone and social media use.

Bullying is no longer confined to the schoolyard. Social media and texting create 24/7 access for bullies to harass and intimidate. Research indicates that children who own smartphones at an early age are more likely to experience cyberbullying. Alarmingly, nearly half of U.S. teens report being harassed online, yet only one in ten victims tell an adult.

Smartphones provide unrestricted access to explicit and harmful content, including pornography. Marketers intentionally target children with suggestive online ads, and research shows that 42% of young users have encountered inappropriate material online—many unintentionally. Additionally, the rise of sexting and predatory behavior on social apps puts children at serious risk.

Spending more time on social media significantly increases the risk of developing an eating disorder. Unrealistic body images, extreme diet trends, and unhealthy weight-loss challenges flood online platforms, influencing young users—some as young as nine or ten.

If leaders from Google, Apple, eBay, and Yahoo are waiting until at least 14 to give their children smartphones, shouldn’t we take note? Many even restrict their children’s access to mobile data until age 16. If the very people who build these technologies are cautious, shouldn’t parents everywhere consider the same approach?