STILLWELL, Kan. – 'At what age do you give a child a smartphone?' is a common question in most homes.
A national movement, Wait Until8th, has made its way to Kansas City with a local group pledging to not give their children smartphones until they are at least in the eighth grade.
Krista Boan says she wants her children to be creative and to learn interaction with others.
She said her daughter, Anni, loves to draw and takes her coloring and sticker books with her most places.
"The world’s an amazing place to grow. When you have your face staring at a tiny screen you can’t absorb the beauty," said Boan.
That's why she took the pledge.
It's a promise she will hold off until 14 to give her kids a smartphone.
Once 10 families from your school and grade take the pledge it is in effect.
She also started a local group, Wait A Bit KC, for parents to talk about these issues. Wait Until 8th said smartphones can be addictive and distract kids in school, not to mention countless studies linking social media to anxiety and depression.
That's something Boan wants to prevent.
“Being outside together, making memories, sharing experiences. That’s what we’re going to look back on our lives and think that was important," said Boan.
If you would like to join the conversation, join Wait A Bit KC. They plan to have meetings soon.
