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While there are many factors contributing to the children's mental health crisis, especially since the pandemic, the impact of smartphones and social media is a big concern among parents and educators.

Between 2010 and 2020, feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness, as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors, increased by about 40% among young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, Generation Z (1996-2012) reports anxiety, depression, self-harm, and related disorders at levels higher than any other generation for which we have data.

Children's mental health has been worsening over time in the United States, due to fears related to mass violence, climate change and natural disasters, and political polarization. These have been shown to be contributing factors to what author Jonathan Haidt calls "the anxious generation," in his book by the same name.

In his book, Haidt talks at length about the impact a "phone-based childhood" has had to the detriment of youth mental health since the advent of the smartphone. Research shows that pre-teens are spending five hours a day on screens, teenagers are on screens eight hours a day, and receive a staggering 237 notifications per day.

The Wait Until 8th movement has responded to the negative impact of smartphones on children's mental health by urging parents to hold off on giving kids a phone until at least 8th grade, to protect their mental health and well-being.

Megan Cannon, a former school counselor and now therapist in the Charleston area, has worked with many teens struggling with cell phone usage. As a parent of two young boys, she knew she wanted to hold off on smartphones for as long as possible.

"When I heard about the Wait Until 8th movement last year, it was a no-brainer to get involved," she said. "The movement itself offers a ton of resources and research to support delaying use of a smartphone and social media. They even provide tips on what to do if you have already started down the smartphone journey."

Cannon took the initiative to introduce the Wait Until 8th pledge to her sons' school, Charleston Bilingual Academy.

The Wait Until 8th movement found a home here in Charleston thanks to Meghan Rowland, Katie Edwards, and Suzi Pigg, a group of local parents raising eight similarly-aged children. "We leaned into the idea that this is only hard if we do it alone," they shared. "What started as baby steps and side conversations quickly grew into a shared effort to educate ourselves, band together, and create change for our kids."

For Cannon, the Wait Until 8th movement addressed the very issues she was observing in her private practice every day. "Kids are obsessed with their phones and it is negatively impacting their relationships, sleep habits, ability to focus and mental health," Cannon declared. "In my private practice, I work with a lot of teens and have noticed a big shift in their ability to communicate face to face. Other issues I commonly see are comparison, FOMO (fear of missing out), academic decline and bullying. Their brains are still developing and they can't yet decipher what is an appropriate amount of time to be on a phone, which is really not their fault." The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in executive functioning, doesn't fully develop until a person's mid-twenties. "Most kids quite literally do not have the self-control required to have a healthy relationship with a smartphone," Cannon concludes.

Sitting down with your child to discuss the research related to smartphone use and mental health is a good starting point for parents wishing to address this issue with their kids. "Introduce the topic not from a place of condemnation, but rather curiosity," suggested Cannon. "Have them define their relationship with their phone (if they have one already) or ask them what they hope to get out of having their own phone. Oftentimes, they will admit that they don't even like having a smartphone but feel like they need to have one to stay in touch with friends. As their parent, you are allowed to implement rules and boundaries to support their overall health. Be confident in your decisions and one day, they just might thank you!"

Parents can get involved with the Wait Until 8th movement by:

Signing the pledge at https://www.waituntil8th.org/Helping to promote the movement. Discuss Wait Until 8th with friends and family.Following the local movement on Instagram: @waituntil8th_charleston and share posts to your personal pageContacting their school's PTO/PTA and/or administration and requesting that they follow @waituntil8th_charleston and share their posts.Partnering with PTO/PTA to host a Wait Until 8th table at their back to school event. Find printable materials for the table at www.waituntil8th.org/resources.

"On some level we all know that smartphones and social media are not good for our children," the Wait Until 8th Charleston founders urged. "We hope parents feel empowered that there are many like-minded people, and together we can change the tide."