Red ons kinders van skerms!

Leef meer! Sit jou selfoon neer!

Grow Brighter Minds! Delay the Digital Dive!

Let us STOP neglecting our precious children!

It is heartbreaking to witness so many parents lose sight of the natural and holistic development of their children's unique, God-given potential by substituting screens as babysitters. Many do so without realising the addictive nature of tablets, smartphones, social media and video games. This over-reliance on screens can contribute significantly to the underdevelopment of all dimensions with neurological and learning disorders like ADHD, ADD and ASD. These conditions affect the fulfilment of a child's true potential. https://technolifewise.org/concerns/add-adhd/

As a parent and grandparent, I grapple with the challenge of being a role model, establishing healthy boundaries not just for my own screen time, but that of my children and grandchildren. Yet, every day, we are faced with the unseen dangers lurking behind digital devices and access to social media, especially for underage children (younger than 13 years and ideally maybe even 16 years, like Australia's laws). 

The electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation from wireless devices, such as cell phones, cell phone towers, Wi-Fi routers, and wireless connections in classrooms, on school grounds, and in cars, poses additional unseen threats to a child's physical and mental health. https://technolifewise.org/wowe/
https://mindunique.co.za/

Furthermore, our precious children are being exploited in unprecedented ways; their private information is collected and manipulated to expose them to violence and pornography and even lure them into the dark underbelly of human trafficking networks. It’s alarming how easy it is for children to access addictive platforms and games, as well as harmful social media content, when technology is so deeply embedded in our daily lives.

It's imperative that we take immediate action to safeguard our children from such harmful effects. We urge our Minister of Education to be brave enough to stand up, like the Education ministers and governments in the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Finland, the UK, and Australia, to ban smartphones from schools and restrict access to social media for all children under at least 13 years to align with the age restrictions on the different social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Whats App that have an age restriction of 16 years. 

Many other countries in the world have already taken action to save and protect their vulnerable children. Screens and the internet have been developed by neuroscientists to distract, interrupt and addict us. Steve Jobs' children attended schools where screens were not used in the classrooms.

The South African government needs to promulgate laws to enforce regulations to ban smartphones and smartwatches from all schools and access to addictive platforms like social media and video games until the age of at least 13 years (TechnoLife Wise Foundation's campaigns "Wait Until Grade 8 and No Phones at Schools). https://technolifewise.org/solutions/wait-until-grade-8/

Children also need protection from digital exploitation based on the data collection of private information by technology companies. This also aligns with the International Declaration of Human Rights for Children in our Digital Age. https://technolifewise.org/home/the-childrens-declaration/

Parents, educators, health professionals, role models, and policymakers, let's rally together to safeguard our children's natural and healthy balanced development, learning, and future. Let's promote a happy, healthy, balanced lifestyle that fosters healthy and natural play and best learning practices, and shields our children from the harmful effects of digital screen misuse. 

Sign this petition to make a collective commitment to ensuring a safer and healthier environment with minimal screen use, allowing our children to experience joyful, natural, and optimal growth and development, just like human beings. All children need to develop skills in all our dimensions (cognitive, physical, mental, social, and spiritual) in a natural and real-world environment with natural sensory stimulation and integration, along with optimal body movement, to ensure good posture and balance. This approach enables children to enjoy their real lives and grow into responsible, happy, and healthy adults.

Let us NURTURE our precious children by implementing minimal screen time. Be active, engage in conversations with them, and maintain eye contact. Stop neglecting them by putting them in front of screens, thereby contributing to a decline in their IQ scores and depriving them of their optimal time for real-life learning and development.