The secret to getting kids off their phones? A homework assignment that sends them into the real world

The secret to getting kids off their phones? A homework assignment that sends them into the real world

A lot of parents are worried about the well-being of children across the United States. It’s not unfounded: Nearly three-quarters of students are not proficient in basic skills, and many struggle with the fundamentals of math and reading, this year’s annual KIDS COUNT survey found. Approximately one in five U.S. youth between the ages of 3 and 17 has been diagnosed with a mental health condition or behavioral disorder, according to the CDC. And smartphones are cause for mounting concerns, as parents, children, and researchers explore the relationship between screen time and decreased academic performance, wellness, and social skills. But one mom, Lenore Skenazy, thinks that kids need a bit more room to breathe. In 2008, Skenazy wrote a New York Sun column about letting her 9-year-old ride the subway alone. It turned into a book called “Free Range Kids,” and later, she worked with other parents-turned-activists to found a nonprofit called Let Grow, which advocates for increased childhoo…