New Year, New Habits
2026 started with exciting news: New Canaan High School will begin implementing a new cell phone policy this year - cell phone use will be prohibited throughout the school day, with designated phone-use areas in the library and cafeteria. Superintendent Luizzi announced the policy change in a January newsletter (available HERE), setting January - June as a transition period, with the full policy tacking effect in Fall 2026. With this change, New Canaan joins a growing list of school systems that have instituted strict phone policies in an effort to improve learning environments for kids.
The next installment in our series of Family Tech Stories is featured below. We've heard great feedback from readers about these stories and hope you continue to enjoy reading about how other families manage their technology choices. If you would like to share your family's technology journey (anonymously, of course!), please drop us a note at newcanaanunplugged@gmail.com.
Family: 1 child, currently in 5th grade.
Current Devices:
• School‑issued Chromebook
• Family iPad (shared device, limited use)
• Fitbit Ace (child wearable with parent‑approved contacts and GPS tracking)
Path To Devices: Our family has taken a very gradual, cautious approach to technology. From an early age, we had a family iPad that was primarily used for car rides and travel. In 3rd grade, my son began asking to use the iPad to communicate with friends and started playing Roblox.
After reviewing the app, I discovered that he had been friended by users I did not know or recognize as children in his real‑life circle. At that point, Roblox was immediately removed from the device and access to the app was restricted.
As he has gotten older, peer pressure around devices has increased. By 5th grade, many of his friends now have Apple Watches or iPhones.
For Christmas in 4th grade, instead of a phone or smartwatch, we chose a Fitbit Ace, which: 1) Allows only parent‑approved contacts 2) Includes location tracking 3) Enables him to call or text me and his grandparents if needed
This has met my core needs for safety and communication without opening the door to full smartphone access.
Current Thinking on Future Devices: My son’s birthday is in August, just before he enters 6th grade. I have considered an Apple Watch as a possible next step, primarily for: 1) Safety 2) Limited communication 3) Location awareness
However, I remain very unsure and would prefer to delay this transition if possible. I’m intentionally moving slowly and reassessing each year based on maturity, responsibility, and real‑world need rather than social pressure.
Device Management & Boundaries:
iPad Rules: The iPad is tightly locked down using parental controls. All apps require parent approval. There is no iPad screen time during the school week. Weekend use is limited and intentional. When not in use, the iPad is stored in my bedroom. Even on weekends when he has access, the iPad is kept in my bedroom overnight.
Core Rule: Devices are a privilege, not a right.
iPad privileges are immediately suspended if: Grades fall. Behavioral issues arise. He attempts to download apps without permission. Any inappropriate language or messaging occur. Access is only restored after expectations are clearly met again.
Overall Device Philosophy:
My goal is to: Prioritize safety and real‑world relationships. Delay unrestricted access for as long as possible. Teach healthy boundaries and digital responsibility. Avoid normalizing constant connectivity at a young age.
I believe slower is better, and that technology should support childhood — not replace it
SUBSTACK HIGHLIGHT
Jonathan Haidt's substack, After Babel, is filled with research, articles and guest features about the sociological, cultural, and epistemological changes we are currently living through. It goes beyond the theories in his book, the Anxious Generation; it is an outlet to think through, in public, the profound psychological and sociological changes that occurred in the 2010s when human social and political life migrated onto platforms curated by a few for-profit companies whose business models drove them to maximize engagement.
Jonathan and his team wrote a lengthy reflection on 2025, highlighting the significant progress made around the globe to reclaim childhood from technology. Click HERE to read the full post on After Babel. It is more proof that there is genuine momentum around the changes we are seeing and real optimism for what's yet to come in 2026.
ARTICLES WORTH YOUR TIME
Phone Bans have saved High School - 6 months into the cell phone ban in New York Schools, the atmosphere feels different. There’s a pleasant buzz in the lunchroom, chatter in the hallways, and an alphabet of new analog hobbies popping up just about everywhere. “We’ve had a lot more school spirit,” says Rosalmi, a senior at New Heights Academy Charter School in Harlem. “People are more willing to do stuff.” Bravo! Click HERE to read the full article on New York Magazine.com
These College Students Ditched Their Phones for a Week - A student-organized “tech fast” at St. John’s College led to a mass unplugging by curious undergrads. Some found clarity; others were just trying to find their friends. Click HERE to read the full article on the New York Times.com (Subscription may be required).
Curious about Greyscale on your phone? A recent guest opinion piece in the New York Times provides a first hand account of one woman's experience with turning off the colors on her phone (Spoiler alert: the effect shocked her!) Click HERE to read the piece.
Help New Canaan Unplug
If you are interested in creating a healthier relationship with technology for our children, please check out our survey HERE to let us know how you can help.
New Canaan Unplugged is a parent-run group completely independent from the New Canaan Public School System and the Town of New Canaan.
