I’m on a train right now, heading to the Science Museum with a group of children.
In my bag: a collection of phones.
And that’s where the question begins.
Because collecting the phones is the easy part. The harder question and the one I keep turning over, is this: when I hand those phones back at the end of the day, will it matter? Will the children have been genuinely present, or will their minds have been running a quiet internal countdown the entire time?
5 hours until phone time.
4 hours.
3.
Tim Cook, the man who built the device in more pockets than any other, said something recently:
“I don’t want people looking at the smartphone more than they’re looking in someone’s eyes. If they’re just scrolling endlessly – this is not the way you want to spend your day.”
He’s right. And he’s also describing a generation of children who have never known anything different.
This isn’t about blame. It isn’t even really about phones. It’s about what happens to human attention when it’s been trained from an early age to expect constant stimulation. When stillness starts to feel like deprivation. When a world-class exhibit has to compete with a dopamine loop.
So what’s the answer?
I don’t think it’s simply removing the device. That just creates the countdown.
I think it’s three things:
🔹 Intentionality – being deliberate about every interaction, so that presence feels purposeful rather than imposed.
🔹 Structure – providing the scaffolding that allows young people to actually experience the moment they’re in, rather than endure it.
🔹 Slowness – resisting the pressure to fill every gap, and trusting that meaningful engagement needs space to grow.
This is a generational challenge. One that educators, parents, and leaders are all navigating in real time and often without a map.
But I do believe the answer starts with being intentional. With modelling what it looks like to be genuinely present. And with creating environments where connection, real connection, feels more rewarding than a screen.
We’re pulling into the station.
Let’s see what the day brings. 🚂
By Caolan Wukics, Head of Boarding
