This school year, students in New York State will experience something new: a bell-to-bell cell phone ban. That means phones stay tucked away from the first bell of the day to the last.
For kids who are used to checking their phones dozens (if not hundreds) of times a day, this is a major shift. And like any change, it can come with some growing pains. Many parents and children will notice what feel like “withdrawal symptoms” at first, as the brain and body adjust to being unplugged for several hours at a time.
Here’s what you may notice, and how you can help your child (and yourself) through this transition.
Why Phones Feel So Important to Kids
For today’s students, cell phones are more than just devices. They are:
- A constant link to friends and social groups
- A source of entertainment and distraction
- A way to feel safe by being able to reach parents/loved ones instantly
- A means to explore and learn new topics
When phones are suddenly inaccessible during the school day, it’s natural for kids to feel uneasy after they have developed such strong habits to rely on them.
Many kids today struggle with contending with feelings of boredom, anxiety or discomfort, leading them to seek out their phone as a means of alleviating this internal, physical state or negative emotions. This leads to a cycle of avoidance, which makes children even more susceptible to those very same feelings.
Common “Withdrawal” Symptoms Students May Experience
Every child is different, but here are some of the most common reactions to being without a phone all day:
- Anxiety or restlessness: Increased anxiety among youth who previously used their phones as an outlet or coping mechanism
- Irritability or mood swings: Feeling cranky or “off”
- Trouble focusing: Difficulty having to focus for sustained periods of time
- Feeling disconnected from friends: Experiencing the fear and anxiety of missing out (FOMO) on perceived important events or notifications
- Boredom during downtime: Struggling to fill small breaks or down time without scrolling
- Phantom phone-checking: Reaching for a phone that isn’t there
These reactions are normal, temporary and not a sign that anything is wrong with your child. They simply reflect how deeply woven phones have become in daily life.
Parents May Feel It Too
It’s not just kids who will feel this change from the cell phone ban. Parents may notice:
- Anxiety about not being able to reach their child during the day
- Worry about emergencies or safety
- Frustration if their child comes home moody after a phone-free day or wants to use phone excessively to make up for lost time
Tips for Parents
- Understand the safety net: Schools still have clear procedures for emergencies. You can always reach the office if you need your child, and your child can do the same if they need you.
- Set check-in rituals: Establish a predictable routine that reassures both you and your child. For example, you might agree that your child will send a quick “home safe” text after dismissal. Having a set plan reduces the urge to constantly check in and gives kids a sense of independence while keeping parents in the loop.
- Talk openly: Share your own discomfort about being less connected during the day, but pair it with encouragement: “It’s tough for me too, but I know we’ll both adjust.” Try creating a family media plan, a family-wide agreement on how to use digital devices while creating balance with offline activities. This will help facilitate discussions about healthy screen use.
Healthy Ways to Cope and Support Kids
The adjustment period may feel bumpy, but there are plenty of ways to help your child adapt to changes in their cell phone use:
- Validate their feelings: Let kids know it’s normal to feel restless or uneasy without a phone, and that it will get easier with time.
- Offer after-school decompression: Allow some phone time at home but balance it with face-to-face activities like playing a game, spending time outdoors, cooking together or catching up on their day.
- Encourage alternative coping tools: Kids are used to filling every spare moment with screen time. Without their phones, they need alternative tools for coping with boredom or discomfort. Reading, doodling, journaling, studying or simply talking with friends can fill the gaps.
- Reframe the positives: Talk about how being phone-free may reduce stress from online drama and help them connect more with classmates. Check in throughout the month to discuss how the change has affected their classwork, relationships and stress levels.
- Connect with a trusted adult at school: Remind your child that if they’re having a tough day, they can always talk to a teacher, counselor or staff member who can support them and help them to express their worry thoughts related to interacting with peers socially.
Finding Balance at Home
This school policy also gives families a chance to reflect on screen habits outside of school. Kids are more likely to adjust well if they see healthy behavior modeled at home.
- Lead by example: Children are more likely to adapt if they see parents practicing healthy screen habits too. Putting your phone away during meals, conversations or family time shows kids that life doesn’t have to revolve around devices.
- Create phone-free zones: Bedrooms, dinner tables and family time are great places to start.
- Build other routines: Encourage hobbies, sports or family traditions that don’t involve screens.
When kids see their parents balancing technology use, it reinforces the idea that phones are tools — not necessities. While some kids will adjust to this change within days, other children who may have more excessive screen usage may take longer to acclimate to not having a phone on them.
As kids adjust, they stand to gain important benefits, including:
- Better focus in class
- Stronger face-to-face social skills
- Reduced exposure to cyberbullying
- More independence from constant notifications
- Greater resilience when separated from devices
- Better resiliency to boredom
- Better reading comprehension
- Better real-world creativity
- Increased openness to other activities to replace phone usage
With patience, support and healthy routines at home, families can ease the transition and help kids build stronger focus, resilience and confidence without needing a device in hand all day.
In this HEALTH Yeah! podcast episode, experts from Stony Brook Medicine discuss the school cell phone ban policy and its goal of benefitting student mental health, social connections and learning.
