Everything you need to grow Wait Mate at your school, ready to copy, paste and use.
Welcome, and thank you
You've committed to waiting until at least Year 7 before giving your child a smartphone. That's a meaningful decision, and by picking up this kit you're doing something even bigger: helping other families at your school feel able to make the same choice.
You don't need to be a campaigner, a committee member or a confident public speaker to do this well. You just need to be a parent or carer who's willing to make the choice visible and invite others in. This kit gives you the words, the timing and the materials so you can spend your energy on the people, not on working out what to say.
Everything below is a suggestion. Please make it your own, use your own voice, and adapt it to your school community.
The one idea that makes this work: Strength in Numbers
Most parents and carers who want to wait on a smartphone don't hold back because they've changed their mind. They hold back because they worry their child will be the only one without a phone.
That's the whole problem Wait Mate is built to solve. When families can see that others are waiting too, the fear of being the odd one out fades, and the decision gets easier for everyone. Every single family who commits makes it that little bit easier for the next one.
What families are committing to
When a family joins Wait Mate, they commit to delaying a smartphone for their child until at least Year 7. Some families know exactly which year they're aiming for. Others want to wait longer but haven't settled on a final year yet, and that's what the still deciding option is for: it lets a family join the movement and lock in their commitment to wait until at least Year 7, while they take their time deciding exactly how long beyond that they'll wait.
The important thing to be clear about with your community: still deciding is not a maybe. Every family who joins, including those still deciding, has committed to waiting until at least Year 7. They all count towards your milestones.
To make that progress visible, each year group at your school has milestones:
- Strength in Numbers (20%): one in five families in a year group have committed to waiting. The point where no family is doing this alone anymore.
- Tipping Point (25%): a quarter of families have committed. The point where waiting starts to feel like the normal, expected thing at your school rather than the exception.
Your role
As a school organiser, you have three jobs. That's it.
- Make it visible. Let families know that waiting is a real, supported choice at your school, and that others are doing it.
- Make it easy. Share the link, remind people that joining means waiting until at least Year 7, and answer the odd question.
- Celebrate progress. When your year group hits a milestone, tell people. Progress is the thing that pulls others in.
A few tips on tone, which is where the whole thing lives or dies:
- Keep it warm and pressure-free. Every family that joins is committing to wait until at least Year 7, and still deciding simply means they haven't locked in a final year yet. It counts just the same.
- Talk as a parent or carer, not as an advocate. Your own experience is the most persuasive thing you have.
- Celebrate families and milestones, not just statistics.
- Never name, chase or single out families who haven't joined.
- Let the numbers do the persuading for you.
A simple plan to grow Wait Mate at your school
You don't have to do all of this, and you certainly don't have to do it at once. Think of it as a path.
1. Start with the allies you already have. You don't need to build a campaign team from scratch. When you committed, Wait Mate immediately connected you with other families in your child's year group who've committed too. That's your starting group: parents and carers who already feel the same way, handed to you before you've posted anything more widely. Say hello and you've got momentum from day one. Even if only a couple of you are connected so far, that's exactly who to plan your first outreach with. And if someone you speak to is hesitant, that's useful too: it tells you what the concerns are so you can speak to them later.
2. Start where you already are. Your own class or year group chat is the best place to begin. These are the families whose decisions most directly affect your child, and yours affects theirs.
3. Make it easy to say yes. Share the link, and let people know that joining means committing to wait until at least Year 7, with a still deciding option for anyone not yet sure exactly which year they'll wait until.
4. Make progress visible. Share your school's progress page so people can see the movement building in real time.
5. Celebrate every milestone. Strength in Numbers and Tipping Point moments are the posts people love to see and share. They do more to bring in new families than any amount of persuading.
6. Bring in your year reps and P&C or P&F. Once you have a bit of momentum, class reps and the parent body can help you reach beyond your own year group.
7. Set the tone for new families. A warm welcome to incoming families keeps the culture growing year after year.
8. (Outside South Australia) Invite your school to host a session. If there's appetite, ask your school leadership about running a Wait Mate information session for parents and carers. There's a ready-to-send email for this below.
Tailor your message to the year group
What matters to families changes as children get older, so a one-size message lands less well than a tailored one. In the early primary years the conversation is about setting a norm before the pressure starts. In the upper primary years it's about holding the line as the first few phones appear. The Year 6 to Year 7 move into high school is the single biggest moment: it's when most families feel the pull to hand over a phone, so it's also where a strong, visible group of committed families makes the most difference. If you can, save your clearest push for the year groups approaching that transition.
Reaching families beyond the group chats
Class and year group chats will do most of the work, but plenty of families aren't active in them. A few ways to reach further:
Start a dedicated Wait Mate group. The families Wait Mate connected you with when you committed are the natural seed for this. Once you have a handful of interested families, consider a separate chat just for Wait Mate at your school. It keeps the conversation from getting lost in the busy class chat, and it gives the movement a real sense of community and its own home.
Show up where families already gather. A small table or stall at a school event, a fete, an open day, a parents' night or orientation, reaches people no message will. Have the flyer to hand, a QR code to your school's progress page, and be ready to answer questions warmly. You volunteer at these events already, so this can be as light as a poster and a friendly chat.
Ask the school to help you be seen. A line in the newsletter, a mention at assembly, or a note in the orientation pack for new families all carry weight because they come from the school. These are small asks that are easy for a school to say yes to.
Share it with your own circles. Your friends, extended family and wider networks are worth a mention too. A quick post on your socials or LinkedIn about why your family is waiting can reach parents at other schools and help the movement grow beyond your gate. Tag Wait Mate and they can reshare it.
Optional, and worth a light touch: some organisers find a bit of friendly encouragement between nearby schools motivating, for example noticing when a neighbouring school reaches a milestone. Keep it warm and inspiring rather than competitive. The aim is to show families that this is happening everywhere, not to turn waiting into a scoreboard.
If you hit a wall
Not every school or parent body will jump on board straight away, and not everyone you speak to will say yes. That's normal, and it isn't a sign it won't work. If official channels stall, start with the people you already know and let them reach out to their own circles. The thing most organisers are surprised by is how often a quiet message is met with real relief. A common reply is some version of "thank you, I'm so glad I'm not the only one." Those are the families you're doing this for.
Copy-and-paste resources
Placeholders are in [square brackets]. Swap them for your details before sending.
1. Introduce Wait Mate to your class or year group chat
Hi everyone 👋 Some of you know we've decided to wait before giving our kids a smartphone, and we've joined something called Wait Mate. The idea is simple: it's a lot easier to wait when you know other families are waiting too.
Joining means committing to wait until at least Year 7. If you want to wait but aren't sure exactly which year you're aiming for, you can join as "still deciding" and lock that in while you make up your mind. Either way, you're in: [link]
Even a handful of us makes a real difference for the whole [Year X] group. Happy to answer any questions.
2. Gentle follow-up (about a fortnight later)
Quick one on the Wait Mate thing 🙂 We're now at [X%] of [Year X] families who've committed to waiting until at least Year 7. If you've been meaning to and haven't yet, here's the link again: [link]
Not sure exactly which year you're aiming for? You can still join now as "still deciding" and settle on the year later.
3. Email to other parents in your year group
Chats reach the families who are active in them. An email can reach the whole year group, including those who aren't. If you have access to a class list or directory, this is one of the quickest ways to build early numbers. A short, warm note works best.
Subject: A simple way we're supporting each other on smartphones
Hi everyone,
I'm [your name], parent of [child] in [Year X]. I wanted to share something a few of us have joined called Wait Mate. It helps families support each other to wait before giving our kids a smartphone, by making a shared commitment to wait until at least Year 7 and seeing how many of us are doing the same.
The idea is simple: it's much easier to wait when you know you're not the only one. When you join, you're immediately connected with other [Year X] families who've committed too.
If you'd like to add your family, or you want to wait but aren't sure exactly which year and would rather join as "still deciding", here's the link: waitmate.org.au/commitment. You can also see how our year group is tracking here: [school progress page link].
No pressure at all, and happy to answer any questions.
Thanks, [Your name]
A quick note on privacy: only use contact details people have agreed to share, and BCC everyone rather than putting the whole list in the "to" field so you're not exposing addresses. If you don't have a class list, ask your class reps or parent body to forward it on your behalf instead.
4. Email to school leadership (to request a parent session)
Especially useful outside South Australia, where setting up a session is parent-led.
Subject: A quick idea from a parent: supporting families to delay smartphones
Dear [Principal / Deputy name],
I'm a parent at [School Name] ([your child's year group]), writing with a small idea I think could support our school community.
A growing number of families here are choosing to delay giving their children a smartphone, and many more tell me they'd like to wait but worry their child will be the only one. There's a national initiative called Wait Mate that helps school communities support each other to do exactly this, by letting families make a shared commitment and see that they're not alone. It's something that could support student wellbeing and sit alongside the school's own efforts, while staying entirely parent-led.
I'd love to explore whether [School Name] would be open to hosting a Wait Mate information session for interested parents and carers. The session is free. Wait Mate simply welcomes a donation from schools that have the capacity to contribute, to help the movement reach more communities, and there's no expectation where that isn't possible.
It's designed to be low-effort for the school. Sessions can be held in person, which works best, or online, or if it's easier, a parent from our community can present it using slides and speaking notes that Wait Mate provides. I'm happy to coordinate whichever suits.
Would you be open to a brief chat about it? I'm glad to work around whatever suits the school.
Warm regards, [Your name] [Your child's year group or class] [Contact details]
5. Message to your P&C / P&F or class reps
Hi all, I wanted to flag something a few of us have started at [School Name]. It's called Wait Mate, and it helps families support each other to wait before giving kids a smartphone. Families add a commitment (or mark they're still deciding) and we can see our school's progress build.
We're at [X%] in [Year X] so far. If any of you would be up for sharing it in your own year group chats, I'd really appreciate it. Here's the link: [link] and here's our school's progress page: [school progress page link]. Happy to send suggested wording if that's helpful.
6. Regular progress update
👋 [Year X] Wait Mate update: we're now at [X%] of families committed to waiting until at least Year 7. Thanks to everyone who's added their family. If you haven't yet, here's the link: [link] (and if you're keen but not sure which year you're aiming for, you can join as "still deciding").
You can see how our whole school is tracking here: [school progress page link]
7. Milestone celebration messages
Strength in Numbers (20%)
🎉 Big moment: [Year X] at [School Name] has reached Strength in Numbers! That means one in five families in our year group have committed to waiting on smartphones until at least Year 7.
This is exactly the point of Wait Mate: no family is doing this alone anymore. If you'd like to join them, here's the link: [link] (you can join as "still deciding" if you're not yet sure exactly which year you're aiming for).
Tipping Point (25%)
🚀 [Year X] has reached the Tipping Point! A quarter of our families are now committed to waiting until at least Year 7.
When a group gets to this level, waiting starts to feel like the normal, expected thing rather than the exception, and that's a shift the whole year group benefits from. Thank you, [Year X] families 💙 Here's the link if you'd still like to add your commitment: [link]
8. Welcome message for new families
Welcome to [School Name]! One thing you'll notice here: a lot of our families are choosing to wait until at least Year 7 before giving their kids a smartphone, and we support each other to do it through Wait Mate.
There's no pressure at all, but if it's something you've been thinking about, you're in good company. Here's where to find out more and see our school's progress: [link]
9. Responding to hesitation
Some families will be unsure, and that's completely normal. You don't need to win a debate. A warm, honest reply usually does more than a perfect argument. A few you can adapt:
"But my child needs a phone to contact me."
Totally understand, that safety piece matters. Worth knowing the commitment is about smartphones specifically, not staying in touch. Plenty of families here use a basic phone or a smartwatch for calls and messages. Happy to share what others have found works.
"Isn't it too late, my child already has one?"
Not at all, and you're very welcome here. Some families use Wait Mate as the moment to reset how a phone is used, and others commit for a younger sibling. Wherever you're at, being part of the group still helps shift things for everyone.
"I don't want my child to be left out."
That's exactly the worry Wait Mate is built to solve. The more of us who wait together, the less any one child is the odd one out. That's the whole point of seeing our numbers grow.
"I'm not sure I can commit to Year 7."
No need to have it all worked out. You can join as "still deciding", which locks in waiting until at least Year 7 while you take your time on the exact year. You'd still be part of the group and still count towards our milestones.
The golden rule: acknowledge the concern first, share what's worked for other families, and never make anyone feel judged for where they're at.
Recommended communication cadence
The most common mistake is messaging too often. Peer groups switch off fast. Fewer, warmer, well-timed messages will always beat a steady stream.
A rhythm that works well:
- When you start: one clear introduction message, plus share your school's progress page.
- First few weeks: one gentle follow-up, around a fortnight after your intro.
- Ongoing: a light progress update roughly once a month is plenty.
- Milestones: celebrate whenever your year group hits Strength in Numbers or the Tipping Point. These are the messages people genuinely enjoy seeing, so don't hold back on them.
- Start of each term: a brief "here's where we're at" note to keep it front of mind.
- New enrolment and orientation season (Term 4 into Term 1): send the welcome message to incoming families so the culture carries into the next year.
The golden rule: if in doubt, send less, and make what you do send warm and specific.
Setting the tone for a lasting culture
The goal isn't just a burst of sign-ups. It's a school where waiting on smartphones feels like a normal, unremarkable choice, one that each new cohort inherits.
Two habits make the biggest difference here:
Keep sharing your school's progress page. Visible, growing numbers are the single most persuasive thing you have. Drop the link into your monthly update, your milestone posts and your welcome messages. Let people watch the movement build.
Welcome every new family into the culture. New enrolments won't know that waiting is "the done thing" at your school unless someone tells them, warmly and without pressure. A single friendly message at orientation or at the start of the year does more than months of persuading later on. Use the welcome message above, and consider asking your class reps to send it to families new to their year group.
Printable assets
Copy the wording below into your school's flyer and poster templates, or send it to whoever manages your printed materials. Add your school's Wait Mate link and a QR code where indicated.
Flyer copy
Waiting on a smartphone? You're not alone. Families at [School Name] are choosing to wait, together.
It can feel hard to delay giving your child a smartphone when it seems like everyone else has one. Wait Mate helps families at our school support each other to wait until at least Year 7, by making a shared commitment and seeing how many others are doing the same. The more families who join, the easier it is for all of us.
How it works:
- Visit [link] or scan the code
- Commit to waiting until at least Year 7 (or choose "still deciding" if you're not yet sure exactly which year)
- Watch our school's progress grow
No pressure, no judgement. Just families backing each other in. [QR code] · [link]
Poster copy
Wait, together.
Delaying smartphones is easier when we do it as a community.
Commit to waiting until at least Year 7 at [School Name]. Scan to join, or to see how our school is tracking.
[QR code]
Not sure exactly which year? Join as "still deciding". Every family counts. Wait Mate
Hosting a Wait Mate parent session
In South Australia, Wait Mate is reaching all parents and carers of school-aged children directly through a government-funded rollout. Everywhere else in the country, the movement grows because parents and carers like you take the lead in their own school communities. That makes one extra, high-value step available to you: a Wait Mate parent session. A session reaches families who aren't active in class chats and signals that the school itself supports the choice.
Sessions are free. Wait Mate welcomes a donation from schools that have the capacity to contribute, to help the movement reach more communities, and there's no expectation where that isn't possible.
There are three ways to run one, so you can pick whatever suits your school:
- In person (preferred). The most effective format. It's easiest to build genuine community connection and answer questions in the room.
- Online. A good option when getting parents and carers together in person is difficult. More flexible, and still valuable.
- Parent advocate presents. If you'd like to lead it yourself, Wait Mate provides slides and speaking notes so you can present to your community with confidence, no experience needed.
A nice option, whichever format you choose, is to pair the session with a wellbeing voice. Many schools have a psychologist or wellbeing team who can speak to healthy technology habits, and Wait Mate can then introduce the community side as a practical way for families to act together. It makes for a warm, well-rounded evening and takes some of the load off you.
Use the email to school leadership above (resource 4) to open the conversation. Keep the ask low-effort for the school, offer to coordinate the details yourself, and mention that the session is free and can be run in whichever format works best.
If your school isn't ready for a session yet, that's completely fine. The year group and class chat approach on its own is more than enough to reach a real tipping point.
If you're presenting it yourself
A few things that make a parent-led session land well:
- Keep it personal. Your own reasons for waiting are more persuasive than any slide. Lead with why this matters to your family.
- Let other parents talk. The most powerful moments come from families in the room sharing their own experiences, not from you presenting at them.
- Keep it short and warm. A brief walk through the Wait Mate idea, a look at your school's progress page, and time for questions is plenty.
- A small turnout is still a win. Even a handful of families leaving with a shared sense of purpose creates momentum that spreads through the chats afterwards.
- Stick to what the evidence actually says. The Wait Mate slides and speaking notes are written to be honest about the research. Use them as your guide rather than reaching for stronger claims, warm and credible always beats alarming.
Questions, or want more support? Get in touch with the Wait Mate team.