{"id":4112,"date":"2023-05-11T13:27:40","date_gmt":"2023-05-11T20:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/?p=4112"},"modified":"2023-05-11T18:06:27","modified_gmt":"2023-05-12T01:06:27","slug":"kill-all-cellphones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/kill-all-cellphones\/","title":{"rendered":"Cellphone Free Zone"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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We\u2019re done! We don\u2019t want to be fuddy-duddys from the older generation who say \u201ckids today,\u201d but someone\u2019s gotta do it. Trackers began as a rebel organization fighting against the idea that children need to be coddled and handled with kid gloves. So we\u2019re straight up calling it out: social media and most electronic platforms are creating an unhealthy addiction for our kids and teens. This is leading to rapidly rising rates of anxiety and depression in our kids.<\/p>

You Agree With Us, You Really Agree With Us!<\/h4>

Most of you agree. A study by the Pew Research Institute found that 71% of parents with a child under the age of 12 are concerned their child is spending too much time in front of screens<\/a>.<\/p>

The Stats<\/h4>

Research also shows that kids today are suffering from anxiety and depression<\/a> more than ever before. This correlates to time spent on screens. The less time kids spend in front of screens and the more time they spend playing with friends, getting outdoors, and doing meaningful activities in real life, anxiety and depression go way down<\/a>. They are happier.<\/p>

The Truth<\/h4>

Stats are great. But here\u2019s what we observe in the field. Youth are given unrealistic expectations of fashion that have no value to their real life. Addiction is driven by an algorithm that rewards extreme usage, behavior, and opinions. Apps are designed to be slot machines: pull down the screen, wait for the spinning wheel, and maybe or maybe not get a reward. It\u2019s a straight up gambling addiction, but trading out money for something even more compelling\u2026 \u201cFriends,\u201d upvotes, likes. It\u2019s conditioning us all, like Pavlov\u2019s dogs.<\/p>

The Deeper Truth<\/h4>

There\u2019s something even more insidious happening. The predation on our kids\u2019 natural need for social validation creates a self-focused human being who can only function when everyone agrees with, approves of, or accommodates their desires. This is the opposite of Trackers. At Trackers you find adventure through embracing challenges with resilience and grit. At Trackers, adventure is a coyote who does what it wants guiding us into the unknown.<\/p>

Even deeper, this constantly reinforced self-absorption is fundamentally unhealthy. It prevents kids from becoming independent, competent humans capable of contributing to their families, community, and the greater natural world.<\/p>

Why Tracking?<\/h4>

The current human world bombards kids (and all of us) with an onslaught of subtle and extreme messages telling them they cannot function without digital friend validation and consumption of pop culture. How can any of us stop it when we find ourselves immersed in this world?<\/p>

Our job at Trackers is to become diplomats for a world that needs to exist! When the modern human world fails us, we turn to something more primary. A human world connected to a more-than-human-world. Our motto is Nature Doesn\u2019t Give a Fox! Meaning, you aren\u2019t the center of the natural world. There are bigger things going on than your experience.<\/p>

That\u2019s the stepping stone for real adventure. To a world that offers wondrous opportunities, but not the obsession for validation. As a \u201cTracker\u201d a kid\u2019s community becomes a team of fellow kids (their Trackers Team) they come to rely on. This connection is in-person, real, and physical. Nature becomes the true \u201clike\u201d button. Do something well\u2014start a fire, sleep warm in your shelter, catch a fish\u2014you don\u2019t die. Do something dumb, you have no food, you\u2019re cold, you\u2019re hungry.<\/p>

This is fun! Believe us.<\/p>

More importantly, kids\u2019 brains begin to form and pattern on stepping up to any challenge. They begin caretaking beyond themselves\u2014for both the human and natural world. Our Trackers Guides simply help a team of kids interface directly with nature on its terms. Spoon-feeding algorithms need not apply.<\/p>

Free Our Kids<\/h4>

Right now, we plan to do our part regarding this epidemic. Trackers camps will be a screen-free place for your kids (and adults). A place we can get away from social media. Where kids spend hours connecting with other (real) kids and nature. They have real adventures in the real world.<\/p>

Drumroll, our New No Phones Policy\u2026<\/em><\/p>

Trackers No Phones Policy<\/h4>

At Trackers we believe it\u2019s critical for kids to experience nature and community without being distracted by phones. Games and Social Media are designed to capture kids\u2019 attention and keep them hooked. We are teaching kids how to Pay Attention and we want them to get hooked on the plants and animals around them. Searching online gives kids instant gratification. At Trackers we want them to stick with skills, even when they are challenging. They\u2019re here to develop resilience and grit.<\/em><\/p>

To accomplish these goals, we need Trackers (our students) to leave their phones and other internet and gaming devices at home while participating in our programs. Trackers staff follow similar rules. During program time they only use phones for operational purposes (maps, emergency calls, etc), not for entertainment.<\/em><\/p>

We recommend stopping your child\u2019s cell phone and internet use 2 days (or more) before the start of their Trackers program. Any phones or devices brought to a Trackers camp or class will be collected at the beginning of the program, stored safely, and returned to the owner at the end of the program. Your child will have a much richer experience because of your support.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re done! We don\u2019t want to be fuddy-duddys from the older generation who say \u201ckids today,\u201d but someone\u2019s gotta do it. Trackers began as a rebel organization fighting against the idea that children need to be coddled and handled with kid gloves. So we\u2019re straight up calling it out: social media and most electronic platforms […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1848,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4112"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4128,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112\/revisions\/4128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackersearth.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}