The Wait Until 8th Pledge: A Small Town’s Big Stand on Smartphones with Jordan Spicklemire (Part 2 of 2)

Send Ben a message, he'd love to hear from you.In Part 2 of our conversation with Jordan Spicklemire, we shift from personal experience to community action. Jordan walks us through the Wait Until 8th pledge — a national movement with a powerful local twist — and how she’s helping Morton families join forces to delay smartphones until after 8th grade.We talk about how the pledge works, what makes it doable, and how a small-town community can offer the kind of support parents need to hold the line.This episode explores:What the Wait Until 8th pledge actually is — and how it gets activatedWhy the “10-family model” makes peer pressure easier to manageAlternatives to smartphones (Gizmo, Bark, dumb phones, and more)How parents can talk to kids about screen time — and take back family timeJordan’s vision for building school support and PTO partnershipsAnd why it’s never too late to reverse course, even if your kid already has a phone💬 “We’re not anti-phone — we’re just pro-childhood.”If you’re tired of feeling like the only parent saying “not yet,” this episode will remind you that you’re not alone — and that change can start right here in Morton.📲 Learn more or take the pledge at: waituntil8th.org 📘 Join the Morton-based conversation on Facebook: Wait Until 8th – Morton, IL#MortonMuseAndNews #WaitUntil8th #ReclaimChildhood #SmartphonesAndKids #MortonIL #SmallTownStrong #ParentingInTheDigitalAge #AnxiousGenerationFB Wait Until 8th - MortonWait Until 8th WebsiteVideo reference - "Our Story"Anxious Generation by Jonathan HaidtMillennial Mom Thoughts“Hey friends! If you’ve enjoyed hearing stories from right here in Morton—our businesses, our schools, our neighbors—you can help keep this podcast going.Every little bit counts—whether it’s a one-time tip or a small monthly gift. It helps cover the cost of hosting, equipment, and producing each episode.Visit a link below to pitch in and be part of keeping Morton Muse & News growing strong. Thanks for supporting local voices!”Direct support links:PaypalVenmoCashAppSocial Media links:Morton Muse & News FacebookMorton MUSE & News InstagramMuse Morton (the studio and gallery)