Why Children Need An Analogue Childhood

Summary What's disappearing from childhood & why children need an analogue childhood in a digital world In this episode, Amy speaks with Nova Eden from One Collective Power and the Smartphone Free Childhood movement about how smartphones, social media, iPads, EdTech and AI are reshaping modern childhood. They explore what children may be losing to screens, from boredom and play to imagination, attention and real-world connection, and share practical ways families can build healthier digital habits at home.   Guest Nova Eden is a leadership and systems change advocate, founder of One Collective Power, and a campaigner with the Smartphone Free Childhood movement. Her work focuses on children's wellbeing, digital habits, smartphone-free schools and parenting in the digital age. Nova works with parents, schools, organisations and policymakers to help create healthier relationships with technology, and has presented her work in Parliament as part of the growing conversation around children, smartphones, social media and digital wellbeing. Overview Smartphones, social media and digital devices are now woven into childhood, family life and education. But did we move too quickly? In this conversation, Amy and Nova Eden explore the impact of screens on children's wellbeing, development, attention and relationships. Nova shares the personal moment that led her into this work, why she believes children are living through a global digital experiment, and how parents, schools and policymakers can start to rethink the role technology plays in modern childhood. The conversation covers smartphone-free schools, EdTech, early years screen use, social media safety, dopamine, sleep, boredom, analogue childhood and the emerging risks of AI. It is a thoughtful and practical discussion for parents, educators and anyone interested in what children need to thrive in the digital age.   Key Outtakes • Why children are living through a digital experiment • What screens are replacing in childhood • Why boredom, play and imagination still matter • Why "digital literacy" isn't the same as digital wellbeing • Simple ways families can build healthier screen habits • Why AI may change the conversation again More Information Collective Power https://onecollectivepower.co.uk/ Smartphone Free Childhood https://www.smartphonefreechildhood.org/   Transcript  Amy Welcome to the Really Good Conversations podcast. Today, I am joined by Nova Eden, who has been at the centre of one of the biggest conversations facing parents right now: children, technology and modern childhood. Through her work with One Collective Power and the Smartphone Free Childhood movement, Nova has been working with parents, schools and policymakers to rethink how and when children engage with smartphones, social media and digital life. This isn't just about screen time. It's about what kind of childhood we're designing and what role we as adults, parents and educators need to play in that. Welcome to the podcast, Nova. Nova Thank you so much, Amy. It's lovely to be here this morning. Amy Even before we've hit record, we have already been talking about so many elements of this. It's been a busy year in the UK as well with this topic of conversation around social media, phones and bans. But what I first wanted to ask you was how you got into this space of digital awareness, digital wellness, education, and the use of devices for children and in education. Nova I've always worked with children, and my speciality has been children's mental health and wellbeing. A few years ago, my eldest son came to me and said, "Mum, everyone's getting a smartphone. I'm the only one without a phone." Of course, like every parent, I felt that pressure to conform to the social norm of giving my son a smartphone. I was worried about him being socially isolated during that crucial stage of his development. So I gave in to the peer pressure and realised very quickly I had made a mistake, because I saw him change. I saw that he didn't want to play anymore. All he wanted to do was look at his phone. Around the same time, I was having conversations with parents and friends, and everybody k