In a bold move that aligns with the parenting choices of Prince William, a Hertfordshire mother of five has implemented a strict ban on smartphones for all of her children until they complete their GCSEs.
The Smartphone Ban Explained
Sophie Sullivan, a 48-year-old youth worker, has made the conscious decision to forbid her children, aged 16, 14, 12, 10, and four, from owning smartphones. This decision places her in a small minority, as 97% of UK children own a smartphone by the age of 12, according to communications regulator Ofcom.
Sophie's stance is reinforced by Prince William, who recently revealed that his eldest son, Prince George, does not have a smartphone and might only receive a basic 'brick' phone when he starts secondary school. Despite this high-profile example, the average age for smartphone ownership in the UK is just nine years old.
The Real-World Impact on Children
Sophie's resolve stems from her professional and personal observations. Returning to the UK after four years in Africa, she was struck by how children's relationships with technology had changed.
"My eldest daughter’s friends had their heads buried in their phones on the walk to school and were shutting off from real-life interactions," she recalls. She firmly believes that the safety argument for smartphones is flawed, stating, "In my view, they’re more likely to meet a paedophile online than on their walk home from school."
Her concerns are backed by educational and mental health evidence. Studies show that it can take pupils up to 20 minutes to refocus on learning after being distracted by their devices. Furthermore, Daisy Greenwell, director of the parent group Smartphone Free Childhood, warns that rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm have soared since smartphones became commonplace among teenagers.
Life in a Phone-Free Household
While her children are not completely cut off from digital communication, their access is heavily managed. They can contact friends using WhatsApp on a secondary SIM card installed in their father's phone.
Sophie admits that her 14-year-old son has pushed back the hardest against the rule, but he understands the family's position is non-negotiable. As a youth worker, she sees the direct effects of excessive screen time, noting young people with short attention spans and difficulty making eye contact.
She is also honest about her own relationship with technology, confessing, "I get lost scrolling. I know I’m hooked in and I don’t want that for my children." This self-awareness strengthens her commitment to protecting her children from the potential harms of early smartphone ownership, a growing concern for many parents across the nation.
