Week Two: The Interview
This week’s session was one the children were really looking forward to. Last week, we took a deep dive into a conversation Elen found herself in, discussing what happened and how it might have made her feel. This week, we shifted perspectives to explore how the parent felt and how they dealt with the situation.
The goal—though I didn’t share this explicitly with the children—was to guide the conversation in a way that helped them feel more confident about talking to their own parents about similar situations.
The Session Breakdown
The session was divided into three sections:
1 - Icebreaker & Introduction
I introduced Sarah, the parent we were interviewing, who took on the role of ‘Elen’s mum’ for this discussion. Although Elen is a fictional character, her story is based on real situations shared by Sarah and other parents. Sarah herself has faced similar challenges, which made her responses authentic and allowed the children to connect with her on a deeper level.
2 - The Interview
As soon as we started, hands shot up—an amazing and unexpected reaction! I had anticipated needing to fill gaps in the conversation, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The real challenge was keeping track of who was next to speak.
What stood out was how relevant the children’s questions were—they were clearly drawing from their own experiences or things they had heard about. To support the conversation, I had prepared some prompt questions on the board, but I don’t think the kids even glanced at them!
Here are some of the questions I remember, though there were many more:
Did Elen get into trouble with you after this?
How many children were in the group?
Why did you get your daughter a phone?
What app was the conversation on?
Do you limit how much time Elen spends on her phone?
What age did you give your daughter a phone?
Would you have given her a phone if you knew this would happen?
Does your daughter still use social media?
What age do you think is right for a phone?
Will you be getting your younger son a phone after what happened to Elen?
Do you look at Elen’s phone?
Did she leave the group after this?
Do you find it easier to talk to your daughter after this?
How old was Elen when this happened?
During the interview, we asked the children to note down any thoughts or challenges where they felt they could help.
3 - Identifying Challenges
After about 45 minutes, we wrapped up the interview and reflected on the discussion. We then asked the children to identify key challenges from what had been shared. The five main challenges they highlighted were:
How might we: get children to wait until they are the right age to use apps
How might we: find someone for Elen to talk too if she finds herself in this situation
How might we: help children become more comfortable talking to their parents about what happens online
How might we: make children be kind in chats
Once we grouped similar challenges together, each child received two sticker dots to vote for the problem they felt was most important to solve. Sarah also got a vote.
An Unexpected Discussion
There was also a moment when the children started chatting about a situation that had happened between them earlier this week. At the start of each school day, children with phones are required to place them in a storage tray until the end of the day. However, a pattern had emerged where some children would wait at the end of the day to see who picked up the so-called 'brick phone,' making fun of the person who owned it.
This added another dimension to the discussion. Even if a child has a phone, if it’s not perceived as the ‘right’ one, they can still face ridicule. It highlighted that phone ownership isn't just about having access—it’s also about social expectations and peer pressure.
What Went Well
The biggest highlight was Sarah’s calm and relaxed presence. She connected well with the children, answered difficult questions honestly, and even reflected on her own choices in real-time.
Not putting too much structure on the conversation also worked well. I could have easily created an agenda with talking points, but I’m glad I didn’t. The children naturally steered the discussion in a meaningful way.
What Could Be Improved
One question stood out: “Based on your experience, what age should you give Elen her phone?”
Sarah and I looked at each other, and I immediately felt the pressure to give a confident answer. But honestly, I wasn’t sure. My concern was that some of these children already had phones, and I didn’t want to alienate anyone or put them in an awkward position.
What I did say was that many experts recommend waiting until at least Year 9—around age 14—before getting a phone. However, I emphasised that every family is different, and my goal isn’t to tell people what to do but to encourage more mindful decision-making.
Even so, I left feeling like I need a better answer for this question, as it’s bound to come up again. Something to think about before our next session!
Feedback & Stats
The highlight this week has been the support I received off the back off the last club.
💬 “This was great for our children at school. Other schools really need to sign up. Nick who runs this was fabulous.”
💬 “My daughter really enjoyed the first session and we LOVE the pink hoodie! Thank you so much and looking forward to next week.”
💬 “Schools really need to sign up for this.”
💬 “My daughter loved the club today and already can’t wait until next week - thank you so much”
Stats This Week (compared to last week)
📌 10 (+1) Newsletter subscribers
📱 39 (+5) Instagram followers
📘 27 (+17) Facebook followers
👀 13k (+1k) Facebook views
💻 399 (+43) Unique website visits
👥 100% Attendance so far
🏫 2 (-) Schools signed up, 3 schools interested
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.
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.