The Catholic Weekly 5 June 2022

$2 SUNDAY, 5 June, 2022 MARIA’S NUMBER 1 Introducing MATHILDE P16-17 Phone, Vapes and Kids DOUBLE-BARRELLED THREAT TO OUR YOUNG Mobile phones are wreaking havoc with the lives of children and young people, while retailers sell toxic vapes to kids. But parents are responding and public officials are taking notice. A GROUP of suburban Sydney parents who have formed an alliance to stop their children using smart phones and social media has attracted attention fromaround the world. As reported in The Catholic Weekly , the growing group of families from Kingsgrove’s Our Lady of Fatima Primary School andStUrsula’sCollege, hasbeen inundated with global support for their stand due to concerns of the harmful effects of mobile technologyonchildren. Addiction, academic dis- traction, impaired sleep, in- creases in anxiety and depres- sion, exposure to sexualised content and increased risk of bullying are among the many negative risks adults want to stamp out. Some of the world’s leading experts including Steve Bid- dulph AM have endorsed The Heads Up Alliance while the NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns is hoping to introduce it in as many schools as possible within his Kogarah electorate. Thousands of people also commented and registered their support ironically via so- cial media for the seemingly “herculean task” of delaying smart phone usage in children with scores wanting to know how to get it started in their school community. An Adelaide mother of two wrote “I read about your alliance in The CatholicWeekly andall I can say is thank you so much for this impor- tant initiative, it’s so easy to feel alone”. While a father of three from the United Kingdom commented “it’s a huge relief and a breath of fresh air to see parents take a strong stand against thismove- ment of allowing young chil- dren access tomobile and tech devices, I wholly support your cause and believe it should be an international campaign that all parents who share a similar view can join” . CONTINUEDONPAGE 2 ¾ Debbie Cramsie P9 FAN DROPS BY FOR HER 104TH! CatholicWeekly The