How It’s Going and Gearing Up for the First Club
I set up the Mindful Digital Collective because, like many parents, I found myself unsure how to navigate the world of technology with my children. I have three children, and I vividly remember saying, "When she gets to secondary school, we’ll buy her a phone so she can contact us." It seemed like a logical plan, one I’ve heard many other parents say. But looking back, I realise I hadn’t thought it through enough. It’s easy to sleepwalk into decisions like giving children a phone, and I imagine it becomes much harder to change course once that’s done.
Another loosely formed belief I had was that "if we don’t allow children to explore and use technology, they’ll be left behind." With a career in product design and technology, it felt natural to let them explore. While I still believe in allowing children to be creative and curious, I’ve realised that "failing often and hard" isn’t as simple for them. Unlike the design industry, where mistakes can be stepping stones, the stakes for children are much higher, especially when it affects their well-being or self-esteem.
Despite my professional experience—I’ve often felt just as uncertain as anyone else when it comes to managing digital challenges for my kids. I’m far from perfect, as my wife reminds me. I’ve caught myself scrolling on my phone while my kids talk to me or wandering the house watching silly videos. For context, I’m 40 years old, and I know I’m not setting the best example. Part of this initiative is about holding myself accountable and setting a better example for my children.
How It’s Going
So far, I’ve set up a website and an Instagram account to share updates and connect with the community. A Facebook account has also been helpful for reaching parents and organisations nearby. I’m thrilled to share that the Facebook account has received over 11,000 views. In a small town like Bridport, this shows there’s real interest.
Our first afterschool club starts next week. I’m both excited and nervous, but I keep reminding myself that this is a learning journey. As long as the children leave with even a small boost in mindfulness or confidence to handle tricky situations, I’ll consider it a win.
Schools in the Area
The response has been incredibly encouraging. Word of mouth has already sparked interest from three additional schools in Bridport, and even a school in Lyme Regis has reached out—we’re going global! Every time a school contacts me, I’m filled with excitement, but it’s quickly followed by absolute panic in how to balance this with my full-time job. Still, I’m confident we’ll make it work.
Stats
I’ve held back sharing too much as I’m conscious I need to make sure it actually works first, so getting the first club done with some feedback will be really key step in learning what this is and what could be. But we’ve had some really positive feedback.
7: Lovely people signed up for the newsletter
29: Instagram followers
10: Facebook followers
11k: Facebook views
300: Visits to the website
6/6: Children signed up for the club
1: School signed up; 3 schools interested
What’s in Store for the Club
I want the club to feel like a cool place to be, not a dull lecture on phone settings. Instead, it’ll be a space for teamwork, tackling challenges, and using imagination to create solutions. Each child will receive a sweatshirt (hopefully cool enough to wear) and a notebook, along with post-it notes for brainstorming.
First Session:
We’ll focus on a single online conversation, analysing it in depth. By exploring each comment’s impact, we’ll map out what people in the conversation might be thinking and discuss how to handle such situations confidently. Using empathy maps and possibly role-playing, we’ll bring these scenarios to life and ask, “Would you say this in real life?”
Second Session:
A parent will join us to share their experiences. This parent has faced tough situations with their child and can bring a sense of realism to our discussions. The aim is to help children connect with the idea that online conversations extend beyond platforms like WhatsApp or Snapchat, affecting family life. I hope this builds empathy and encourages children to see their parents as allies, even though we know that’s not always straightforward.
What We’ve Been Reading and Listening To
Documentary: Inside Britain's School That Banned Smartphones
Channel 4’s "Swiped" explores the impact of banning smartphones in schools. Thought-provoking and worth a watch.
Watch here
Podcast: Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Parenting
Dr. Lisa Damour provides thoughtful advice on parenting challenges. I’ve listened to a few episodes and found them incredibly insightful.
Listen here
Community: Smartphone-Free Childhood
This initiative encourages parents to delay smartphones and social media until at least Year 9. It’s a community effort to help parents feel less alone in making tough decisions.
Learn more here
Book: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Haidt’s work examines the role of social media in declining teen mental health and rising societal issues. A must-read for understanding the bigger picture.
Learn more here
Why Keep Reading?
The goal of this newsletter is to help us become more prepared and make smart choices for our children. Instead of sleepwalking into decisions we feel we have very little control over, let’s equip ourselves with the facts, insights, and support needed to make the right choices for our families.
I’ve sent out a consent form to the parents whose children will be starting the club next week, and I asked a few questions. The average response to one key question was 4/10. This gives me a solid starting point—if I can help move you all towards feeling genuinely confident, that would be amazing.
To do that, we need to include topics and questions you want to discuss. If there are areas where you’d like more support or subjects you’d like me to dive deeper into, let’s make it happen. Please use this anonymous form to send your feedback:
To those of you reading this—you are my founding members ❤️. Please help spread the word! The success of this initiative depends on more people joining the conversation.