Yarmouth Slow Tech

is a social movement powered ​by collective action in service to ​mutual wellbeing and human ​connection.

New eras ask for new questions.

And we’re making space for conversation. Starting with:

What conditions do kids, teens, adults–and even communities–

need to thrive in the Digital Age?

3 ideas worth exploring

a further question:

Changing behaviors, holding boundaries and stepping outside of ​comfort zones are hard things to do. . .

What can we offer along the way to make these things easier, more ​attractive, and more sustainable for more people?

HAPPENINGS

FALL EVENTS

WAIT UNTIL 8th* GATHERINGS - by class year - ONGOING!

Families who have signed the Wait Until 8th Pledge are on the ​class ambassadors’ invite list for events, but you’re also ​welcome to reach out to an ambassador if you’d like to host! ​Hosting can be as simple as putting out a date and time to ​rendezvous in the park for all-ages free-play or putting on a ​potluck at your home (adults-only is also an option!) Each class ​year might do it a bit differently, gather by school, or with the ​full mixed-age group!

*If you’re pledge-curious or are delaying smartphone use until ​completing 8th grade and would like to socialize with other ​families committed to the same, please feel free to reach out ​to your class ambassadors as well!

VALUES DISCOVERY & DIGITAL FLOURISHING - DATE TBD

Please add your name and evening preferences to ​this interest list. Based on response, more than one ​date may be offered.

When did you last have the time, space, guidance (or quiet?) to ​consider your personal values? How about in the context of ​parenting? Or more specifically: Parenting in the Digital Age?

Our values—a combination of standards, principles, virtues and ​ideals—guide judgement and decision-making across all ​domains of life. The act of identifying values reminds us of how ​we want to live, how we want to show up for others, and prompts ​us to ask how we can create the conditions that best support ​living our values—at home and beyond.

In the context of parenting, discovering and finding clarity about ​values can be a useful tool for cross-checking decisions and ​surfacing the kind of conversations we want to have. In this ​context we’re asking: How do our current habits and tech use ​align with our values? And what might a personal model of ​values-aligned Digital Flourishing look like?

Participants will leave more equipped to communicate how and ​why personal tech choices, changes, or boundaries matter to ​them, with an understanding of some ways to help loved ones ​discover the same for themselves.

Snacks and refreshments will be served during social time.

Free and open to parents & caregivers in Yarmouth with RSVP.

and more happenings - coming soon!

FILM SCREENING

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE

& DISCUSS IN COMMUNITY?

Screened Out

or

Chasing Childhood

or

Screenagers Next Chapter:

Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age

or

something else?

Check OUT THE TRAILERS

THEN CAST YOUR VOTE HERE!

Archive / Past Events:

“This is is a crucial read for parents of children of elementary school age and beyond, who face the rapidly changing landscape of ​childhood. Haidt lays out problems but also solutions for making a better digital life with kids.”

- Emily Oster, New York Times bestselling author of Expecting Better

book talk:

THE

ANXIOUS ​GENERATION

by Jonathan Haidt

a community read & facilitated discussion of the #1 New York Times bestseller

hosted by Yarmouth PTO

Join us this summer for the first in a new series of Yarmouth Reads, exploring topics worth talking ​about in community. The discussion will be followed by light refreshments and casual conversation. ​Opportunities to delve into related topics will continue through the fall with a Parent Ed series TBA.

RSVP

here

HOW REQUIRED IS THE READING?

Let’s put it this way: Reading “Anxious Generation” is worthwhile, but not required. ​And there are a variety of ways to access the book’s content (see below).

If you’re curious, we hope you’ll join us. No one will be put on the spot!

Royal River Books has multiple copies of “Anxious Generation”

in stock at a 10% discount for “community read” attendees.

MORE OPTIONS:

The Anxious Generation site is full of resources, including this summary of evidence ​and regularly updated Collaborative Review documents. Jonathan Haidt’s Substack, ​After Babel is another way to experience the content one chapter at a time.

FYI on Library editions: Yarmouth’s Merrill Memorial Library (and connected lenders) ​has had over 100 hold requests for several months.

A free digital edition (and an audio option) can be accessed by Merrill Memorial ​Library cardholders via Cloud Library.

The Audio book is included on Spotify’s Premium service as well as services such as:

• Apple Books
  
• Audible
  
• Google Play Store
  

Numerous podcasts! If you’d like to access the information in conversation, here are a ​few of varying lengths:

NPR (7 min. listen)

The New Yorker (28 min.) or see the edited transcript

Dr. Becky - Good Inside (51 min.)

Hidden Brain (58 min.)

Video selections: Jonathan Haidt on The Today Show (13 min), The Daily Show (16 ​min), on stage at the National Summit on Education (52 min) and in conversation with ​the Wall Street Journal (21 min).

Yarmouth Slow Tech

yarmouthslowtech.org

RESOURCES

We talked and messaged with friends.

We spent hours watching, reading, listening, scouring.

What’s helpful? What’s missing? What do you need? Let us know!

This is a “living” list and will be organized and updated continuously.

GOING DEEPER . . .

Wait Until 8th is a national nonprofit that helps parents delay smartphone use by identifying a community support system of ​other parents when pledging not to give their child a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade (if not longer)--

provided at least 10 other families from their child’s grade and school identify themselves with the pledge too.

Note: The pledge does not preclude phones in old-school mode, such as flip phones or lite phones.

(but what does it mean?)

It means that if you’re waiting until the end of 8th grade–if not later–to give your child ​a smartphone, you’re not alone.

There are over 100 Yarmouth kids whose families have already taken a (semi) public ​pledge to delay smartphone use until high school.

It means there are other families to talk to.

There are other families to point to when you hear, “But everybody...”

There’s the chance that this just might become normal.

Or even cool.

In May of 2024, enough Yarmouth families made the commitment to delay ​smartphone use until high school that both William H. Rowe School and Yarmouth ​Elementary School appeared on the Wait Until 8th website among the first five ​schools in Maine with 10 or more families in each class taking the pledge. Harrison ​Middle School soon followed.

If you have a child who graduates after the year of 2030, ​there are at minimum ten other families in your child’s ​graduating class year who are making the same choice –​but likely many more.

Among the first 154 parents to respond to our Spring 2024 survey about Kids, Tech & ​Play, over 40% said that their family had made the decision to delay smartphones ​until the end of 8th grade, but had not taken the pledge.

Over 20% of respondents were considering the pledge, but had not yet decided. And ​14% of respondents said they plan to delay both smartphones and smartwatches ​until at least the summer before high school.

There are many reasons families don’t pledge. There is not a one-size-fits-every-family ​or every-community approach, but the fact that people are not just thinking through ​these decisions, but talking and getting curious about what others are thinking is part ​of the beauty of the pledge: It’s also helpful to talk about why you aren’t taking it.

And here’s the thing: What if some families aren’t signing because they’re thinking ​they’ll go further: Perhaps wait until their child gets their first job? Or turns 16?

What if the families who are signing the pledge are considering options like adopting a ​family flip phone? Wouldn’t it be nice to hear how others weigh these decisions and ​what factors in? Now you can! Because more than 10 families have joined every class ​year, each new pledge family receives a list of classmates (with email addresses) as ​soon as they pledge.

If you haven’t pledged but would like to learn more or attend a social event , please ​reach out to your class ambassadors!

Related: We’re recruiting WaitUntil8th class ambassadors:

We have at least 3 ambassadors for

every class year through 6th grade!

And we’d like more! We're looking for 4-6 parents to "adopt" each class year ​as connection points, event hosts, and communicators, ideally committed ​through 8th grade.

You will be a community liaison for your class, welcoming new members, ​holding social events with your co-leads (or larger cohort as feels appropriate) ​and connecting with the classes above and below you, particularly when ​advancing to a new school.

The structure may look different from class year to class year—it's up to the ​ambassadors to decide what feels right.

If you’re interested, let us know! We’re happy to have more for any class, ​especially if you’d like to join the single ambassadors of 7th (2030) & 8th ​(2029) grades.

The goal is to represent various social circles, neighborhoods, teachers, etc. ​with 4-6 parents from each graduation year. Please help spread the word!

Want to publicize the pledge?

One of the most effective things you can do is tell your friends! Literally talk ​and text about it. Emails with a call to action are also effective, as well as ​posting on socials or even printing posters. The WU8th website has free ​resources to help you do it all.

Tip: 8x10 “Simple Prints” of Wait Until 8ths free poster designs are .70 per sheet (color printed on “standard ​white” paper) from Staples Same-Day Printing and can stand up to rain/sun/wind when posted outside.

JOIN US!

(by signing up)

As a member/general supporter of Yarmouth Slow Tech, ​thank you for taking an interest by joining our mailing list. ->

A step further is attending an event; talking about YST; ​WaitUntil8th; these ideas; what you’re wondering, learning and ​hearing. That is service in itself.

For more: Opt-in to our Google Group where conversation ​continues and working groups organize.

Essentially: We recognize life’s demands and appreciate that ​people will dip in and out, helping when they can. This is ​meant to be a guilt-free--and sustainable!--space of support. ​We’re OK with a slow roll and small gestures (such as adding ​your name to the website) do make a difference.

Yours in community,

YST

P.S. Consider connecting friends and family in other towns: ​Check out Turn The Tide Coalition to explore the ecosystem ​of our sister organizations.

MEMBERS

*denotes a ​WU8th class ​ambassador

grounding member

*Chelsea DeLorme

seeding members

Vanessa Barton

*Heather Wiggins Berger

*Karina Chandler

*Shannon Cummings

Damaris Drummond

*Deidre Fogg

Kate MacGilpin

*Hannah Magee

Kai McGintee

Jenny James

Jill Sady

Todd Severson

*Kaytrue Ting Staley

growing members

*Vanessa Holcomb Mann

*Paige Carter

*Sarah Fischer

Emily Murray

Danielle Smaha

Sadie Jones

Sara Pinto

Jessie McGrath

*Jen Runge

Lindy Graham

Clare Dwyer

Kristina McElhinney

Mary-Jo Valentino

*Libby Chamberlain

Mary Gallaudet

*Erin Olson

Anaïs Ziedins

Noah DeLorme

*Emily Bates

*Sarah Ferguson

Matthew Whittemore

Caitlin Whittemore

Heather DeCourcey

*Lindsay Clarke

*Madeline Backman

Gwen Matthews

Meghan Wells

Hannah Fairbank

Christine Stam

Malaika Danovitz

Rebecca Dugas

and more

with special thanks to PTO Parent Ed Coordinator,

Sheila Carroll for spring/summer ‘24 collaboration

CONTACT

chelsea@yarmouthslowtech.org