Sara Davies: “Why I’m backing smartphone-free childhood”

A new term is on the horizon but for many parents, their children moving up a year at school also signals some tricky conversations and, in many cases, confrontation.

The debate about children using smartphones continues to heat up and while it’s constantly being discussed by politicians and policy makers, it’s also causing problems at home. Recent research from EE found that 93% of parents argue with their children about smartphones.

Smartphone Free Childhood is a movement set up by Daisy Greenwell and Joe Ryrie – themselves parents of three kids – to offer the possibility of another way of approaching technology. What began as a WhatsApp group created by Daisy and her friend Clare Fernyhough has gained huge momentum with parents across the world signing up to the campaign’s pact and celebrities such as Kate Winslet, Myleene Klass and Paloma pledging their support too.

Businesswoman, author and TV personality Sara Davies, who shares two sons with her husband Simon, is Smartphone Free Childhood’s latest ambassador and it’s clear she is passionate about the campaign. When she was announced as an ambassador, Sara said:

“I’m thrilled to be working with Smartphone Free Childhood. This is a campaign that’s really close to my heart. Like so many parents I’ve been watching the way that smartphones are creeping into kids’ lives earlier and earlier. And, honestly, it’s worrying.”

Parenting in the digital age

Like many of us, Sara identifies with the pressure of trying to parent our children in a digital world when we had far simpler childhoods.

“As a mam, I know how overwhelming it can feel trying to get things right when it comes to kids and smartphones. The pressure is huge – and it often feels like you’re on your own. None of us grew up with this technology, and it’s evolving at such speed. We’re all just doing our best to raise kids in a digital world that’s often driven by powerful and addictive systems that prioritise profit over children’s wellbeing.”