Letter to Family and Friends
Dear Families,
Over the past weeks, I’ve been reading The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. This book been referred to often in professional development courses I’ve attended this year, including the Christian Schools Australia State Conference that the Pilgrim School staff attended on the student-free day at the start of term. Published in 2024, the book offers thought-provoking insights. Although Haidt identifies as an atheist, much of what he shares resonated with me and aligned with my own observations and values.
Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, explores the rising tide of anxiety, depression, and emotional fragility among children and adolescents - particularly since the advent of smartphones. Drawing on extensive research, he identifies a cultural shift starting in the early 2010s: the replacement of a "play-based childhood" with a "phone-based childhood." He argues this shift has harmed children’s mental health, development, and ability to thrive.
Key Takeaways for Primary School Parents and Schools
1. The Rise of “Phone-Based Childhood”
Haidt links the spike in youth anxiety and depression to smartphones and social media. Constant connectivity and reduced face-to-face interaction leave children more isolated, distracted, and emotionally vulnerable. For young children, screen exposure can impair attention, sleep, and social skills.
2. Decline in Free Play and Outdoor Time
Free, unstructured play is vital for resilience, problem-solving, empathy, and conflict resolution. Today’s children spend more time indoors on screens or in structured activities. Families may see this as a call to reclaim the joys of community, creativity, and God’s creation.
3. Delayed Social Development
The book explains how excessive recreational screen time can stunt emotional growth. Children may become cautious, less confident, and overly dependent on adults. Haidt warns this fragility hinders maturity - a concern for parents aiming to raise strong, faithful individuals.
4. A Call to Action for Parents and Schools
Haidt offers hope through practical suggestions: delay smartphones and use basic phones without internet for younger teens, set screen boundaries, and encourage offline friendships and faith-based activities. He urges schools and churches to support real relationships and healthy risk-taking.
A Faith-Inspired Response
Haidt’s message aligns with biblical wisdom: children thrive in relationships, in play, and in truth. As Psalm 127 reminds us, children are a gift from the Lord - meant to be nurtured in love, not left to face the digital world alone. The Anxious Generation calls us to be stewards of our children’s attention, values, and hearts.
For parents of high school or upper primary students, there are many more insights to explore, so I encourage you to read or listen to the audiobook. This work offers both a warning and a way forward - inviting parents to choose presence over passivity, and faith over fear, in the digital age.
Grace and Peace,
Julie Wicks
Deputy Principal