Parents, students, teachers and experts weigh in

BIG TOPIC THAT PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS ARE TALKING ABOUT, AND THIS YEAR IT’S CELL PHONE USE IN CLASS, FUELED BY A NEW STATE LAW, STUDENTS WILL HAVE SOME BIG ADJUSTMENTS. NO KIDS AT OUR SCHOOL ARE NOT GOING TO MOVE. IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. I THINK THAT’S REALLY GOING TO HELP STUDENTS FOCUS MORE. WE’RE GOING TO BE ON OUR PHONES. THERE’S THERE’S NO STOPPING IT. THEY’VE ALL GOT EARBUDS. THEY’RE GOING TO BE ON THEIR PHONES ANYWAY. LIKE IT OR NOT, WITH 85 YEAS AND 14 NAYS, HOUSE BILL 1105 PASSED. I THINK IT’S GREAT. I THINK KIDS ARE VERY DISTRACTED BY CELL PHONES. KIDS AND ADULTS BOTH. I THINK IT’S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. I THINK IT GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF OFF SCREEN TIME SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON SCHOOL AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE. THE NEW FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES OFF AND OUT OF SIGHT DURING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF AND OUT OF SIGHT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, UNLESS THEY HAVE PERMISSION. THEY CAN USE THEIR PHONES AT OTHER TIMES, DETERMINED BY DISTRICT’S CODE OF CONDUCT. I DON’T LIKE THAT. I THINK IT’S STUPID. I THINK IT’S NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. AND WHILE TEENS LAUGH IT OFF. THE PALM BEACH COUNTY TEACHERS UNION IS HOPEFUL. WE FIRMLY STAND ON THE SIDE OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE DEVICES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY ARE A DISTRACTION. THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO SHORTER ATTENTION SPANS, A LACK OF FOCUS, AND A LACK OF ENDURANCE. SINCE IT’S COMING IN THE FORM OF A LAW, IT’S SERVING NOTICE TO EVERYONE. SOCIETALLY, WE UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF THESE DEVICES, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME PITFALLS. AND IN AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE TO MAXIMIZE OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, WE’RE GOING TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO MINIMIZE ITS IMPACT NEGATIVELY SO THAT STUDENTS CAN LEARN ALL THAT THEY CAN AND NEED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. WELL, NOW WE WANT TO BRING IN THE EXPERTS. JOINING ME ARE DOCTOR ROBIN KISSEL, A PSYCHOLOGIST RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE, DOCTOR VASILY BIENSTOCK, WHO WORKS IN A PRACTICE THAT REALLY HELPS WITH PARENT COACHING DOWN THERE IN THE END. AND DOCTOR SELENA MOORE, A LOCAL PEDIATRICIAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. WANT TO DIVE RIGHT IN BECAUSE WE KNOW THE CORE ISSUE OF ALL OF THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH AND PROTECTING THESE YOUNG BRAINS. SO, DOCTOR MOORE, I’M GOING TO DIVE RIGHT IN WITH YOU. WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE AGE FOR A CHILD TO HAVE A PHONE? IT’S KIND OF BIG QUESTION, RIGHT? IT’S REALLY HARD TO PUT IT INTO LIKE ONE NUMBER BECAUSE IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION OF THE CHILD AND THE FAMILY ITSELF. IF I WOULD RULE THE WORLD, I WOULD WAIT UNTIL PUBERTY, YOU KNOW, AN AFTER PUBERTY STARTS AND AFTER, THERE’S A LOT OF THE FRONTAL LOBE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SETTLED A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WE INTRODUCE THE ENTIRE INTERNET AT THE FINGERTIPS. SO I THINK THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING ACCESSIBILITY TO YOUR FRIENDS WHEN THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT, FORMING THOSE PEER TO PEER CONTACTS IN. EARLIER, LIKE TWEEN HOOD AND HAVING ALL THIS COMPARISON TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET, WHEN YOU’RE STILL DEVELOPING YOUR IDENTITY. SO I WOULD PROBABLY SAY FOR THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERYTHING, PROBABLY 13 AROUND THERE. AND I KNOW PHONES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE YOUNGER KIDS, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS. AND I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND A FLIP PHONE SO THEY HAVE SOME ACCESSIBILITY WITH THEIR PEERS, BUT ALSO THE SAFETY. OKAY. DOCTOR SAL, DO YOU AGREE? I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THESE KIDS BRAINS ARE NOT FULLY FORMED YET. THE FRONTAL LOBE DOESN’T FINISH DEVELOPING UNTIL THE EARLY 20S. FOR WOMEN AND THE LATE 20S FOR MEN. AND SO THEY CAN’T MAKE GOOD DECISIONS YET. THEY DON’T HAVE GREAT PERSPECTIVE. IT ACTUALLY CAN POTENTIALLY IMPACT THEIR DESIRE FOR DELAYED GRATIFICATION. THEY NEED INSTANT GRATIFICATION. IT CAN CHANGE THE NEURAL PATHWAYS. SO THE LATER THE BETTER. EVEN IF IT’S NOT POPULAR WITH YOUR KIDS. OKAY. GOOD ONE. ALL RIGHT. SO, DOCTOR BIENSTOCK, WHAT CAN PARENTS DO IF THEIR CHILD PERHAPS DOESN’T AGREE WITH THE DECISION, WHICH IS PROBABLY VERY, VERY COMMON WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR VERY COMMON. YEAH, I THINK IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE AGE OF THE CHILD. SO IF THEY’RE YOUNGER, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. YOU WANT TO JUST KIND OF INSTALL SOME RULES, MAYBE SET A TIMER AND CHANGE IT UP TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT’S KIND OF FUN TO DO OR MAKE BEDTIME FUN, IF THAT’S THE THING THAT THEY’RE TRANSITIONING TO, IF THEY’RE A LITTLE OLDER, I WOULD SAY LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND UP, JUST THAT ADOLESCENCE, THEY’RE AT THAT POINT WHERE THEY DON’T REALLY WANT TO JUST BE TOLD WHAT TO DO. THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. AND WHEN YOU MAKE THEM A PART, YOU ACTUALLY HELP THEM LEARN AND HELP THEM LEARN HOW TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES. WHEN YOU’RE NOT THERE WITH THEM. SO ASKING A QUESTION LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO STAY ON YOUR PHONE OR TABLET LONGER AND EMPATHIZING, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND IT’S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAYBE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FRIENDS, OR THERE WAS SOMETHING REALLY FUN THAT YOU WERE DOING OR LOOKING AT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT WE NEED SOME BALANCE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD ON USE OF DEVICES. WHAT DO YOU THINK WE COULD DO? HOW DO YOU THINK WE CAN COME TO THAT COMPROMISE AND HAVE THEM BE PART OF THAT? AND THEN AGAIN, THAT HELPS THEM HAVE SOME AUTONOMY, BUT ALSO LEARN TO REGULATE THEMSELVES ON THEIR OWN, TOO. AND WE WERE TALKING BEFORE WE ALSO MENTIONED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS OR DIVORCED HOUSEHOLDS AND PARENTING THAT. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN? YES. WHAT I USUALLY TELL MY PARENTS IS THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES AT SCHOOL. THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES ON THE SOCCER FIELD. THERE ARE CERTAIN RULES AT MOMMY’S HOUSE, AND THERE’S CERTAIN RULES AT DADDY’S HOUSE. AND I CAN’T, AS A MOTHER, TELL FATHER WHAT TO DO, OR THE COACH WHAT TO DO OR THE TEACHER WHAT TO DO. BUT THESE ARE THE RULES IN MY HOUSE, OKAY? I WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL THREE OF YOU QUICKLY. THE BEST DO’S AND DON’TS AS A PARENT, NAVIGATING THIS NEW WORLD. WE’LL START WITH YOU, DOCTOR MORRIS. I WOULD SAY DEFINITELY HAVE TIMES WHERE YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE PHONE. MEALTIME, BEDTIME, FAMILY TIME, AND PARENTS SHOULD ALSO DO AS THEY SAY. AND MODEL THAT BEHAVIOR FOR THEIR KIDS. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS BE A BEAUTIFUL BACK AND FORTH EXPERIENCE BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD. AND SO YOU’RE GOING TO COME INTO CONFLICT. YOU’RE GOING TO FIND YOUR KID TEXTING AT 2 A.M., PERHAPS, UNLESS YOU DOCK THE PHONE IN YOUR ROOM, DOCK IT IN YOUR ROOM. YES, BUT IF THERE ARE MOMENTS OR THERE ARE SOCIAL MEDIA BLIPS, YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU USE IT AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITH THE KID, NOT SHAME THEM, BUT RATHER HAVE A CONVERSATION. I THINK THAT’S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING AND HELP YOUR KIDS PLAY, PLAY YOURSELVES. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? LIKE WE FORGET. THAT’S RIGHT. YOU KNOW? AND YEAH, I REALLY AGREE WITH YOU WITH JUST MODELING THAT BEHAVIOR, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK ALSO JUST NOT DEMONIZING IT, NOT DEMONIZING THE PHONE OR SOCIAL MEDIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT STILL EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, THERE’S SOME GRAY AREA. THERE COULD BE REALLY GREAT THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT A LOT OF THINGS YOU SEE THERE AREN’T REAL OR MAYBE JUST AREN’T APPROPRIATE OR THINGS THAT YOU CAN’T UNSEE. IF WE GO INTO THAT REALM. AND SO JUST UNDERSTANDING THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF MODERATION WITH THAT USE. IMPORTANT REMINDER. THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THE NEW RULES. SO IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD MIGHT NEED A PHONE TO CONTACT YOU, YOU CAN ALWAYS CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. BUT IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT. IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR STUDENTS AND FOR TEACHERS. AND SO HOPEFULLY PARENTS CAN TALK TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT ABOUT THIS BEFORE IT ALL GETS STARTED. ABSOLUTELY. AND IT’S WORTH NOTING MARTIN COUNTY HAS A STRICTER POLICY THAN THE STATE LAW. YOU MAY REMEMBER LAST YEAR PUT IN PLACE A POLICY THAT BANS PHONE USE ALL DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. IF A PHONE IS OUT, IT’S CONFISCATED AND TAKEN TO THE FRONT OFFICE, WHERE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS TO PICK IT UP. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS. AFTER A FEW MONTHS, THEY NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN STUDENT BEHAVIOR. THE STUDENTS REALIZED, I DON’T. I’M NOT MISSING THE PHONE AS MUCH AS AS I THOUGHT I WOULD. RIGHT? OR I’LL FIND ALTERNATIVE TIMES TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE PHONE AND AND THAT’S FINE AS LONG AS IT WASN’T DURING INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS. AND BY THE LAST MONTH OF THE FIRST TERM LAST YEAR, THE DISTRICT SAYS IT SAW A MORE THAN 70% DECREASE IN PHONE VIOLATIONS, AND SAINT LUCIE COUNTY UPDATED ITS CODE OF CONDUCT