TL;DR: The Wait Until 8th pledge is a grassroots movement where parents collectively agree to delay giving their kids smartphones until at least the end of 8th grade. It solves the "but everyone else has one" problem by creating a community of families doing the same thing. If you need communication tools now, look into "dumb" alternatives like the Gabb Watch or Pinwheel rather than a full-blown iPhone.
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Ask our chatbot for advice on talking to other parents about the pledge
We’ve all been there at school pickup or a birthday party, looking around and seeing a sea of 10-year-olds hunched over screens. It feels like a losing battle. You want your kid to have a childhood that involves more than just scrolling through TikTok or getting sucked into the latest "Skibidi Toilet" rabbit hole on YouTube, but you also don't want them to be the "weird kid" who is socially isolated because they’re the only one without a group chat.
That’s where the Wait Until 8th pledge comes in. It’s a simple, collective agreement: parents in the same grade at the same school sign a pledge stating they won't give their kids a smartphone until the end of 8th grade.
The kicker? The pledge only becomes "active" once 10 families from your child's grade and school have signed on. This effectively creates a "tribe" of kids who are all in the same boat, removing the social stigma of being the only one without a phone. It’s essentially a way to use peer pressure for good.
Let’s be real: calling a modern smartphone a "phone" is like calling a Ferrari a "cup holder." It’s a pocket-sized supercomputer designed by the world's smartest engineers to keep users engaged for as long as possible.
When a 4th or 5th grader gets an iPhone, they aren't just getting a way to call you after soccer practice. They are getting unfiltered access to:
Middle school is already a chaotic "Ohio" of hormones and social posturing. Adding a device that amplifies every insecurity and social slight is like throwing gasoline on a fire. The pledge buys your child's brain a few more years to develop the executive function needed to handle these platforms.
Learn more about the impact of social media on middle school brains
One of the biggest pushbacks parents give is: "But I need to reach them!" Valid. We live in a world where we want to know our kids are safe. But you don't need an iPhone 15 to find out if practice is over.
If you take the pledge, you can still provide your child with a "basic" phone or a wearable that doesn't have an app store, social media, or a web browser. Here are the top recommendations for "Wait Until 8th" families:
This is the gold standard for the "not yet" crowd. It allows for calls and texts (to a pre-approved list of contacts) and has GPS tracking, but zero social media and zero "brain rot" content. It looks like a techy watch, so it’s still "cool" enough for a 5th grader.
If your kid is older and really needs a "phone" form factor, Pinwheel is a great middle ground. It looks like a smartphone, but parents control exactly which apps are allowed. You can add Duolingo or Spotify without opening the door to the dark corners of the internet.
For parents who want the ultimate oversight, the Bark phone integrates their world-class monitoring software directly into the hardware. It’s a Samsung device that you can lock down as much or as little as you want.
The biggest fear parents have is that their kid will be left out. And honestly? In some cases, they might miss a meme or two. But what the Wait Until 8th pledge realizes is that social exclusion is a numbers game.
If your kid is the only one without a phone, that’s hard. If 10, 15, or 20 kids in their grade don't have phones, suddenly they have a peer group that plays Catan or Exploding Kittens at sleepovers instead of staring at their laps in silence.
By delaying the smartphone, you're actually encouraging them to develop real-world social skills—how to handle boredom, how to resolve conflict face-to-face, and how to actually look someone in the eye when they talk.
Before you jump in, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- It’s not a "No Tech" pledge. You can still let your kids play Minecraft on the family computer or use a Kindle for reading. The pledge is specifically about the personal smartphone—the device that goes everywhere with them.
- The "8th Grade" mark is a floor, not a ceiling. Some parents get to 8th grade and realize their kid still isn't ready. That's fine. The pledge just gets you through the most vulnerable years.
- You have to talk to other parents. This is the hardest part. You have to be the one to send the email or bring it up at the PTA meeting. But trust me, once you say it, you’ll find five other parents who were thinking the exact same thing but were too afraid to be the "strict" ones.
This isn't a conversation you want to have once the phone is already in their hand. Start early.
- Be honest about the "why." Tell them you want them to have a childhood that isn't managed by an algorithm.
- Focus on the "Yes." Instead of just "No smartphone," focus on what they can do. "Yes, you can have a Gabb Watch so we can stay in touch." "Yes, we can play Mario Kart together on Fridays."
- Acknowledge the suck. It’s okay to admit that it might feel annoying sometimes when their friends are talking about a viral video they haven't seen. Validate that feeling, but stand your ground on the long-term benefit.
The Wait Until 8th pledge isn't about being "anti-tech." It’s about being pro-childhood. It’s a recognition that smartphones are incredibly powerful tools that require a level of maturity most 11-year-olds (and honestly, some 40-year-olds) just don't have yet.
By banding together with other parents, you take the "bad guy" role off your shoulders and put the focus back on letting kids be kids for just a little bit longer.
- Check the numbers. Head to the Wait Until 8th website to see if there is already a pledge started for your school.
- Find your "10." Talk to the parents of your kid's closest friends. If you can get that core group on board, the rest is easy.
- Audit your current tech. If you’ve already given a smartphone and are regretting it, it’s not too late to pivot to a Pinwheel or a more restricted setup.
Ask our chatbot for a step-by-step plan to transition away from a smartphone
Read our guide on the best apps for kids that aren't social media