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A new way to delay smartphones - pledging together in the high school years
Starting high school is a major milestone for children and parents alike.
New uniforms. New routines. New expectations. New friendships.
And increasingly, one big new pressure: the assumption that a smartphone is now essential.
At Wait Mate, we hear from families every year who feel that pressure most acutely when their child enters Year 7 - especially when children move on from different primary schools and suddenly find themselves in a whole new peer group.
That’s why we’re excited to share a new Wait Mate feature designed specifically for this moment.
Parents can now pledge to delay smartphones in high school
If your child is starting high school, you can now make a Wait Mate pledge during the high school years - and be connected with other families who are also choosing to delay smartphones well beyond primary school.
This new feature recognises two important realities:
- The strongest pressure to get a smartphone often arrives at the start of high school
- More families want to delay smartphones into the teenage years, as the benefits of doing so become clearer
Just as importantly, it helps parents find strength in numbers, even when children come from different primary schools.
Instead of feeling isolated in your decision, you can see - and be reassured by - the fact that other families are choosing the same path.
Why delaying smartphones into the high school years is gaining momentum
For a long time, delaying smartphones was seen as something families could realistically aim for in primary school - but not beyond.
That’s changing.
More parents are noticing that when smartphones arrive early, they can crowd out the very things children need most during adolescence: real-world friendships, focus at school, confidence, independence and mental wellbeing.
Research and lived experience now consistently point to the same patterns:
- Higher rates of anxiety and social comparison once smartphones enter daily life
- Increased distraction and reduced attention during learning
- More conflict at home around screen use
- Less time spent on in-person friendships, play and rest
At the same time, the landscape is shifting in ways that make delaying easier.
Recent Australian legislation banning under-16s from accessing social media has reinforced what many parents already felt intuitively: children do not need a smartphone in order to participate socially.
For many families, smartphones have traditionally been the gateway to social media. With these platforms now legally off-limits for under-16s, the case for waiting - and the confidence to do so - is stronger than ever.
In contrast, families who delay smartphones often report calmer homes, stronger social skills and children who feel less pressure to constantly keep up online.
Why the start of high school matters so much
Year 7 is a reset point.
Children are forming new friendships, navigating new social dynamics and trying to work out where they belong. Introducing a smartphone at this exact moment can amplify comparison, exclusion and social stress - especially when group chats, social media and online status start shaping friendships.
Delaying smartphones during this transition can help children:
- Build friendships face-to-face first
- Develop confidence without constant online comparison
- Focus on settling into high school routines and learning
- Enjoy more freedom, independence and lived experience in the real world
Strength in numbers - even across different schools
One of the biggest challenges parents face at the start of high school is the feeling of being alone in their decision.
Primary school communities often provide informal reassurance - but when children scatter to different high schools, that shared sense of commitment can disappear.
This new high school pledge feature is designed to rebuild that collective confidence.
By allowing parents to pledge during the high school years and see that other families are also delaying, Wait Mate helps normalise waiting and reduces the sense that a child is the only one without a smartphone.
When families act together, children feel it - and the pressure eases for everyone.
High school doesn’t have to mean “phone first”
Delaying smartphones doesn’t mean denying children independence or connection.
It means giving them more time to develop the social, emotional and practical skills they need before introducing a device designed to capture attention and reshape behaviour.
More families are discovering that childhood - and adolescence - can be richer, calmer and more connected without a smartphone in every pocket.
If your child is in Year 7 this year, now is a powerful moment to pause, reflect and choose a different path.
Join other families pledging to delay smartphones in high school
The start of high school is a fresh chapter.
With this new feature, parents can pledge to delay smartphones during the high school years and be connected with other families who are making the same choice.
Combined with growing awareness of the impacts of early smartphone use - and new social media laws that remove much of the urgency - this moment offers parents something powerful: permission to wait.
Less pressure. More presence. More childhood, for longer.
Pledge now with Wait Mate.