Cell phones, iPads and other smart devices are everywhere. I know my cell phone had an enormous impact on the way I worked and played. With access to social media, games and email 24/7, there were times where I was on my phone, doomscrolling through social media and I realized I’d been at it for a significant amount of time. I have learned to put strategies in place to ensure I am not always on my smart phone, like limiting the amount of time I use my phone most days. When I am with my grandson, I do my best to make sure my phone is not within arm's reach. I want him to know he is more important than my phone.

If I, as a well-seasoned adult, have to work at limiting my time on smart devices even though I know the health impacts of overuse—including poor posture, eye strain, sitting for long periods of time, disrupted sleep patterns and impacts on mental health—how can we expect young people to cope alone? How do we help them navigate devices and programs that are built to capture and keep our attention when they are the first generation to be born with the potential of accessing smart devices very early on?

Limiting screen time and ensuring social media use and gaming programs are monitored and introduced at the appropriate developmental stages are important steps, but it cannot stop there. Connection is key. Parents, grandparents, teachers and communities can be influential in helping children develop in ways that are not digitally based. Taking time to put down devices to go for walk, bake a cake, read a book, go to the playground, play with friends, or draw a picture, are all potential strategies to help children connect to the important people in their lives. These activities reconnect us to each other and are not mediated by a screen.

We are living in a time where social connections are more tenuous, our society feels more divided, and many of us, including children, yearn for a greater sense of belonging. Putting away our devices and spending time together is one way to counter loneliness and isolation. For the good health of our young people and ourselves, it is important to do this intentionally. Law makers are grappling with how social media can be regulated so it is safe for our young people, but we do not have to wait for a law to talk with our children about how the use of smart devices impacts their wellbeing. Let’s make the choice to put down our smart devices and go for a walk in the park together. You might just find our young people have a lot to say about the use of smart devices, as well as countless other things.