Dam Parenting30 Jun 2025

How to Delay Smartphones: Joining the "Opgroeien Smartphonevrij" Movement

If you’ve ever felt like the "only one" hesitant to give your nine-year-old a smartphone, this episode is your community. We take a warm, honest, and direct look at the Opgroeien Smartphonevrij (Growing Up Smartphone-Free) movement—a grassroots initiative by Dutch parents to shift the digital norm. Drawing on research from experts like Jean Twenge, we discuss the profound impact of smartphones on a child’s attention, social development, and puberty.

We move beyond the guilt to offer practical strategies: how to talk to other parents at your school, how to advocate for screen-free environments, and how to use the "Smartphonevrij" school tracker to see where your local community stands. This isn't about being "anti-tech"; it’s about protecting the space children need to grow without the weight of an adult digital world. Join us to discover how we can collectively change the narrative and give our kids a healthier, more present childhood.

Links to support you:

Want to join the Whatsapp group in your area? CLICK HERE

Want to join the Whatsapp group for English speakers: CLICK HERE - (in select jouw regio - scroll to bottom for ENGLISH)

If you want to check out your own school (or chosen school)

CLICK HERE on your region

Click on the image of a school - Bekijk hoeveel ouders....

From there it will show you the number of students and schools, with the list of cities underneath.

Click into the city and you will get a breakdown of each school registered and keep clicking.. It gets more and more interesting! You will see how many kids in your school, and even by which groep they are in.

If you want the read the materials related to the UK website CLICK HERE

If you want to read about Amsterdam's action plan: You can download the PDF (Dutch only) here

Loved this episode? Help us spread the message!

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with a fellow parent, teacher, or friend. The more we talk about growing up smartphone-free, the stronger the movement becomes.

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Together, we can create healthier environments for our kids to grow up in.

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