Morton MUSE & News

Smartphones Can Wait: Jordan’s Mission to Reclaim Childhood (part 1 of 2)


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In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Morton Muse & News welcomes Jordan Spicklemire — a Morton mom, former high school counselor, and passionate advocate for childhood in the digital age.

Jordan shares her journey from Carmel, Indiana to Morton, Illinois, how her time in schools shaped her view of kids’ mental health, and why Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation compelled her to take action. Through personal stories, honest reflections, and a few good laughs, Jordan opens up about the shift she’s seen — from play-based childhood to screen-based survival — and what it means for our kids today.

This episode covers:

  • Jordan’s experience as a counselor during the smartphone boom
  • How becoming a mom changed her perspective on screen time
  • The small moments that sparked big concerns about tech and childhood
  • The early seeds of what would become Morton’s Wait Until 8th movement
  • A very real conversation about boredom, imagination, and why quiet kids sometimes mean trouble 😉

📍Next episode in Part 2: Jordan walks us through the Wait Until 8th pledge, how it works, and how Morton families can join forces to protect childhood — together.

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#MortonMuseAndNews #ReclaimChildhood #WaitUntil8th #MortonIL #SmartphonesAndKids #SmallTownParenting #AnxiousGeneration

FB Wait Until 8th - Morton

Wait Until 8th Website

Video reference - "Our Story"

Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Millennial Mom Thoughts

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Morton MUSE & NewsBy Ben