Totally Psyched

When should kids get their first smartphone? New research offers some important insights.

A large study following thousands of young people found that the younger a child is when they receive their first smartphone, the greater their risk of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep in the following years.

Key findings:
Receiving a smartphone at age 12 was associated with higher risks of depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 14.
Each year that smartphone ownership was delayed was linked with better health outcomes.
The amount of smartphone use also mattered — higher use was associated with increased risks across all three areas.
Sleep appears to be a key factor, with more screen time linked to less sleep and poorer wellbeing.

What can parents do?
• Delay smartphone ownership where possible.
• Set healthy screen time boundaries.
• Keep devices out of bedrooms overnight.
• Prioritise sleep, face-to-face connection, and offline activities.

The takeaway isn't that smartphones are inherently harmful or that there is a "perfect" age. Rather, this growing body of research suggests that waiting a little longer and building healthy digital habits early may support better long-term wellbeing.

Every family is different, but when it comes to smartphones, the evidence for "not yet" is becoming stronger.

As a Senior Clinical Psychologist and mother of a transgender daughter, I have made a submission opposing the Definitions of Woman and Man Amendment Bill.

Over the past decade, my clinic has worked with more than 11,000 children and young people. We have seen firsthand the profound impact that acceptance, inclusion, and affirmation have on mental health and the harm that stigma, rejection, and invalidation can cause.

The evidence is clear: transgender and gender-diverse people experience significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and su***de when they face discrimination and exclusion. These outcomes are not caused by being transgender; they are driven by how society responds to them.
This Bill seeks to impose a narrow legal definition of "man" and "woman" that fails to reflect the complexity of human identity and risks increasing harm for an already vulnerable population. It may also create uncertainty in how laws relating to discrimination, healthcare, education, and human rights are interpreted and applied.

As both a clinician and a parent, I believe every New Zealander deserves the right to live authentically, safely, and with dignity.

I am proud of my daughter and of every transgender and gender-diverse person who has had the courage to be themselves in a world that is not always accepting.

I urge Parliament to reject this Bill and instead continue building a New Zealand where all people are recognised, respected, and supported to thrive.



read more here
https://lnkd.in/e-whic7k

Make your own submission here
https://lnkd.in/e-whic7k