This past weekend, I had a meeting with all of the kids who are going to our summer camp and their parents.
When we mentioned that there will be no game systems or cell phones allowed, a collective "uhhhh" sound was heard.
The thought of not having their cell phone or gaming device for a week made them very uncomfortable.
Today's kids...especially pre-teens...feel lost without their screens.
But there are great benefits that come from having kids go "no screen" for a period of time.
They get away from the constant pressure to answer a call or text. With technology, we are now wired to respond immediately when our phone dings. But at camp this urgency is removed which helps kids be more relaxed after the initial shock of not having their device.
Nearly half of the next generation spends every waking moment with screens. Playing games. Texting. Streaming. Watching.
But let's be honest. It's not just the next generation struggling with this. Adults also face the same challenge. Think about it. When you wake up in the morning, what do you immediately do? When you fall asleep at night, what are you doing? When you are sitting in a parking lot waiting for the kiddos, what are you doing?
This is everyone's world today. Our phones and tablets and laptops keep us connected, help us with driving directions, let us order food on the go, listen to music, and a host of other apps and programs that help us navigate life in 2026.
Did you know there are 6.92 billion smartphone users in the world? That's 86.29% of the global population. The average person in America spends 4 hours and 37 minutes every day on their smartphone.
The younger the generation, the more time they are spending with screens. Gen Z spends the most time with 9 hours per day. Millennials spend around 3.7 hours daily, while Gen X and Baby Boomers spend less time overall.
Americans check their phones 96 times a day. That's once every ten minutes.
Here is some more interesting facts about this...
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74% of Americans feel uneasy leaving their phone at home.
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71% of say they check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up.
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53% say that they have never gone more than 24 hours without their cell phone.
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47% consider themselves “addicted” to their phones
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70% check their phones within five minutes of receiving a notification.
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64% use their phone on the toilet.
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61% have texted someone in the same room as them
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48% of people say they feel a sense of panic or anxiety when their cell phone battery goes below 20%.
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45% say that their phone is their most valuable possession.
Let's jump back and talk about kids now.
The average child ages 8 to 12 spends about 4.5 hours a day with screens.
The first iPod came out in 2001 and the first iPhone in 2007. Today's kids have never known life without cell phone screens. They've never used payphones or a physical map to drive somewhere. They've never been bound with a phone cord.
Today's kids (and adults) are addicted to their screens. They use their smartphones or devices to socialize, learn, play, communicate, and search for information.
Studies show that excessive screen time can lead to social isolation, negative impact on mental health, and reduced physical activity. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation.
In the book "The Anxious Generation" Jonathan Haidt says that phones began rewiring kids' brains in the the early 2010's.
The shift has gone from "play-based childhood to "phone-based childhood." Children have less access to outdoor play and just playing as kids do.
What's the solution? Haidt says we should make sure kids are getting time to play, delaying smartphone access to high school and limiting social media use until kids are at least 16 years old.
As I closed out the meeting with the campers and their parents this past weekend, I shared with them the spiritual benefits of being screen free at camp. This will allow their attention to be on God and what He wants to do in their life. Away from the screens, they will be more able to hear God more clearly and let Him draw them closer to Him.
Digital detox!
Disconnecting to connect with God and other kids in a fresh way!
Here are some tips to pass along to parents not just for camp but in the flow of everyday life.
- Set up a time every day when devices are put away.
- Spend more time outside. Play outside.
- Put phones away during meal time.
- Turn off notifications.
Help kids see that screens are not bad...the devices just need to be managed properly. I am believing that God is going to speak to our kids in a fresh way at camp and that with the absence of screens it will be easier for them to hear His voice and respond.
