We’re so excited that global child online safety warrior, SFC friend, and all-round incredible human, Chris McKenna of Protect Young Eyes (USA), will be joining us in conversation!
We’ll be talking about why giving your child a smartphone is one of the most important parenting decisions you’ll make!
🗓 Date: Wednesday, 30 July 2025
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
Meet Chris McKenna – father of four, founder of Protect Young Eyes (USA), and one of the world’s most trusted voices in digital safety for children. He’s helped parents around the globe navigate the smartphone decision – and he’s joining us live to help you do the same.
As an advocate for many years of #delayistheway, Chris will share his thoughts and experiences as both an expert and a parent, revealing why this is one of the most critical decisions we face as parents. He will also share insights into latest developments from the global frontlines, following collaboration with our fellow Smartphone Free Childhood chapters in the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, and of course, the USA.
In today’s world, handing over a phone has become a modern rite of passage. A milestone. A symbol that your child is “growing up.” But what if we’ve misunderstood the weight of that moment?
Think about it this way: Would you let a stranger walk into your child’s bedroom uninvited? Would you allow them to speak to your child at night when no one’s watching, influence how they see themselves, and feed them content that shapes their values and self-worth – without your knowledge?
Of course not. But that’s exactly what we’re doing when we give a child unrestricted access to a smartphone.
It’s not just a tool. It’s a portal to the entire world – and becomes the entire world to them. It opens doors to adult spaces their brains are not yet equipped to process. And once that door is open, it’s almost impossible to close it again.
That’s why we’re reframing the power of the decision.
Register today
We’re no longer asking, “When is the right age for a phone?”
We’re asking, “What foundation do I want to build before I hand them this much power in their pocket?”
It’s time to stop treating the smartphone as an unavoidable milestone and start seeing it as what it truly is: a life-shaping moment.
