Parenting

Walk into certain homes today, and you may feel like you’ve slipped into a time machine. Smartphones are nowhere to be found, landline phones hang on the wall, children read Beverly Cleary books, and families gather for classic 90s sitcoms on Friday nights. It’s not a retro theme party — it’s a growing movement for parents. Across the country, millennial parents are rejecting the smartphone-heavy childhood their kids were expected to inherit. Instead, they’re embracing a simpler, slower, screen-free approach that mirrors the way they grew up, according to USA Today. A Backlash Years in the Making This shift didn’t happen overnight. Psychologists like Jonathan Haidt have warned for years that giving kids smartphones too young can fuel anxiety, depression, and social disconnection. In his book The Anxious Generation, Haidt argues that childhood changed dramatically after 2010 — and not for the better. Millennial parents paid attention. “We are in a sweet spot where we know life before, we know life after,” said Holly Moscatiello, a mother of two, to USA Today. “Now we have the opportunity to take a step back, and we’re taking it.” Parents like Moscatiello want their children to experience independence, spontaneous play, and boredom — the same ingredients that defined childhood before constant notifications and addictive apps. More Stories Drowning in Bills? These Debt Solutions Could Be the Break You Need Out-of-Town Renters Are Driving Up Demand in These Five Cities Under Siege: My Family’s Fight to Save Our Nation – Book Review & Analysis Christian Music Goes Mainstream With Brandon Lake & Forrest Frank Playgrounds Are Filling Again In places like Oceanport, New Jersey, the movement is visible and loud. Laughter spills from playgrounds as kids race across monkey bars, draw chalk murals, or play pickup football games. Parents say that before joining phone-free playgroups, parks were strangely empty after school — kids were home on their smartphones. But now, communities are reclaiming outdoor spaces. One mother described it simply: “Kids are so much more capable than we think they are.” That belief drives many of these parents to step back and let their children sort out arguments, take small risks, and solve problems independently. A New Kind of Parenting Support Network Much of this revival is fueled by organizations dedicated to helping families unplug. The Balance Project, founded by Moscatiello, now boasts more than 100 chapters across the country. Haidt’s website lists dozens more groups. These communities offer meetups and solidarity. Many millennial parents spent years feeling guilty or alone in their desire for a simpler childhood. Now, they realize thousands of others feel the same way. One parent said Haidt’s work gave them permission “to question the trajectory” of hyper-digital childhoods. Letting Go of Fear — and Reclaiming Freedom This movement also pushes back against decades of heightened fear. Beginning in the 1980s, American parents became increasingly anxious about kidnapping and safety. That paranoia shrank children’s freedom, even though crime rates fell dramatically. Today, many children aren’t allowed in public without an adult. Some aren’t even allowed to play in their front yard unsupervised. Parents leading this shift believe that must change. “I miss the childhood when I was growing up,” one father said. “My parents would just say, ‘OK, be back for dinner.’ That was it.” These parents aren’t ignoring safety. They’re reframing it. They want confident kids who know how to navigate the world. The Rise of the Kid Landline For some parents, the biggest hurdle has been communication. Kids want independence, but parents don’t want them carrying smartphones. Enter a new invention: the kid-safe landline. In Seattle, a group of dads created the Tin Can Flashback, a wired, screen-free phone designed for children. It allows them to call family, neighbors, 911, and other Tin Can devices. Parents can set quiet hours and filter unknown numbers. A Wi-Fi version offers more features for a small monthly fee. Kids love it. One mom said her daughters use their Tin Can to order pizza, call grandparents, and coordinate playdates. When a smoke alarm went off at home, the girls used it to call a neighbor for help. Policy changes are helping as well. As of this fall, 36 states and Washington, D.C. have new cellphone-use policies in schools. And more than 130,000 parents have signed the Wait Until 8th pledge to delay smartphones until at least eighth grade. Letting Kids Grow — Even If It’s Scary Parents admit this shift isn’t easy. Many worry their kids will be excluded socially without smartphones. Others fear judgment. But the desire for healthier childhoods outweighs the uncertainty. One Seattle mom explained to USA Today why she’s committed: “I want them to have the independence and the lack of anxiety that maybe we had back then.” She now lets her children walk to the corner store alone with a few dollars. They return proudly with snacks and new stories — small steps toward big confidence. Raising Kids for the Future by Looking to the Past The movement to raise kids like it’s 1995 isn’t about rejecting technology forever. It’s about timing, balance, and childhood itself. Millennial parents want their kids to climb trees, ride bikes, get messy, and solve conflicts — long before they ever scroll through social media on their smartphones. Whether this experiment succeeds long-term is uncertain. But the parents leading it believe the risk is worth it. As one mother put it, “It’s a gamble… but I’m determined to try.” Cut through the noise. Drown out the spin. Deliver the truth. At The Modern Memo, we’re not here to soften the blow — we’re here to land it. The media plays defense for the powerful. We don’t. If you’re done with censorship, half-truths, and gaslighting headlines, pass this on. Expose the stories they bury. This isn’t just news — it’s a fight for reality. And it doesn’t work without you. The Modern Memo may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is…