Program promotes healthy digital habits for children

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 14, 2026

When is the right age to let your child have their own cellphone in today’s digital age?

This question and more were explored in an addition to Nautilus Elementary’s annual Culture Night called Ready, Tech, Go! on April 23.

The local elementary school’s PTA was selected from among PTAs nationwide to receive a $1,500 grant as part of the program, one of only 230 across the country to receive it.

The Ready, Tech, Go! program is a collaboration between AT&T and the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA). It is part of AT&T’s initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption. It is also part of National PTA’s PTA Connected initiative, which seeks to improve digital access and equity, digital safety and well-being, cybersecurity and digital literacy for all children.

At the event, volunteers from Federal Way High School (FWHS) passed out tech accessories and encouraged parents to take a quiz to guide them through an assessment of their child’s readiness to use technology.

Th program focuses on how to determine when children are ready for a device and how to help them establish healthy digital habits.

The PhoneReady Quiz was one tool offered at the event, which was developed in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics and walks caregivers through 10 questions to assess whether their child is ready for their first cellphone.

The questions ask about how often a child travels alone, whether a phone would help them connect with family and friends they can’t see in person, how responsible a child is, and how well they follow rules about other media in the home like TV, video games and tablets, or make impulsive decisions.

The last question is about the parent’s readiness to set up parental controls and take the steps to monitor their child’s cellphone use and build healthy habits.

Cellphone use has been a big conversation in Washington state as many school districts work to limit phone access during school hours. Federal Way Public Schools implemented new cellphone policies last year.

When asked about their personal experiences with technology, FWHS student volunteers Xael (age 17), Arnood (age 16) and David (age 17) told the Mirror they wish they’d had stricter supervision and restrictions on their screen use when they were younger.

Xael and Arnood got their first cellphone at age 8 and said that they had trouble controlling their own use, leading to sleep deprivation and dealing with feelings similar to addiction at a young age.

“Parents should watch out for who your kids contact on their phones,” Arnood said. “They are still learning who to trust” and interacting with people of all ages on games like Roblox can negatively “shape how you see other people and the world.”

Xael said she’s seen firsthand the damaging impact that social media and other unlimited phone access can have on mental health, and how it can be a distraction from other priorities, like chores and homework.

She said her views on screen use have also been informed by her child development class, where she learned about the important development milestones in the first year of life that can be disrupted by today’s tech.

The evening was also the elementary school’s annual culture night, where students and families came together to see performances from the FWHS Mariachi Band, Kpop fans, a Vietnamese fan dance, and an Eritrean and Ethiopian dance called Eskista.