Raising Kids in the Smartphone Era: A Community's Plan for Healthy Tech Habits

A Miami-based Lubavitch Educational Center initiative shares guidance for parenting in the smartphone age, framing technology as a tool to be used mindfully rather than a force that controls behavior. The piece outlines practical steps: limit screen time and keep devices out of bedrooms and mealtimes, use dedicated family phones and screen-free audio or reading devices, apply filters (e.g., Google Family Link, Circle, etc.), and consider managed iPhones with restricted apps. It promotes phone alternatives and emphasizes presence and public-space screens, guided by Rebbe teachings that kedusha should drive technology use. The article highlights MUST (Mothers Unite to Stall Technology) and The Club—programs to keep students smartphone-free or on tight access—and invites other schools to replicate the model. With 175+ participants, the program’s impact grows, including stories of students choosing to stay off smartphones amid peer pressure.