01
No smartphones before high school
Give kids a basic phone for calls and texts. Delay the pocket supercomputer until they're ready.
A Navy Elementary parent and family community
Raise a generation that swims together, not scrolls alone.
We're parents at Navy Elementary reclaiming a play-based childhood — inspired by Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation. Fewer screens. More playgrounds, books, and belly laughs.
Our mission: creating a community of digital wellness through conversation and action.
2026 – 2027 school year
One simple calendar. Five gatherings. A whole pod of families. Zero screens required.
3
outdoor meet-ups
2
book discussions
1
school year
The Four Norms
Four meaningful steps. One healthier childhood.
Haidt's research points to four collective-action norms that work when families adopt them together. The Pod is a place to explore these four norms together through open, non-judgmental conversation.
02
No social media before 16
Protect the years when identity, sleep, and self-worth are still forming.
03
Phone-free schools
Put phones away during the school day so kids can focus, learn, and talk to each other.
04
More independence, free play & responsibility
Unstructured, unsupervised play is how children build courage, judgment, and friendship.
Why the pod matters
Resilience is built in the wild, not on the feed.
Dolphins travel in pods because no one thrives alone. Our kids need the same:
- ◆ Real-world play that stretches courage and creativity.
- ◆ Books and conversations that go deeper than a feed.
- ◆ Families who back each other up on screens and phones and are actively learning about our changing technology while striving for balance.
Your family is one meet-up away from the Pod.
Come outdoors. Read a book together. Meet parents having balanced conversations on technology and childhood.