TLO Bedford, MA

Our community brings together local parents, educators and professionals in Bedford who care about healthy and safe technology use by our children. Through this community, we can support each other by sharing information, resources and our best tips that empower community members to make healthy choices about technology use. Together we can inspire positive change around technology use in our families and community.

Greetings Bedford!   We are so excited to share this important community initiative with you!

Turning Life On is an inspiring organization, started by a group of parents in Concord, MA who were concerned about the effect of technology on the well-being of the children in their community.  It has been so successful that it has spread throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.  We are very excited to partner with them to bring this initiative to Bedford.

We know that many of you share our concerns about the effects of technology on our children and the peer pressure that exists at too young an age to get your child a smartphone.  TLO Bedford, and especially the public promise now gives us a place to do something about it!  

The goal of TLO Bedford is to unite our community around healthy approaches to the digital and virtual worlds in which our kids live, learn, and play. We are here to celebrate the wonders that virtual connections allow (especially in times of quarantine) while also providing guidance as you navigate the challenges of technology exposure in childhood.  We hope to build a culture in Bedford that fosters the development of interpersonal skills and connections made through time spent in play and interactions with friends & family in real life and protects our youth from the many harms of unsuitable screen time.  We hope to partner with you and other organizations in the community who are committed to the social, emotional and physical health of the children and adolescents in Bedford.

TLO Bedford is here to connect parents with resources to support our kids’ healthy development -- it’s all about coming together to set healthy boundaries, creating a village of support with real-life friends and neighbors.

We have three levels of participation outlined below; please join us at whatever level fits your family's choices. If you are a community leader or organization, we welcome you to become a TLO Partner by filling out this Partner form. Be sure to mention Bedford in the comments section. Thank you again for joining us. You are doing a wonderful thing for your child and your community by showing your support of this important initiative.

Welcome!

Heather Thacore, TLO Bedford Champion

Public Promise Members by Child’s Year of Graduation: Parents listed as Promise Members have taken a public promise to delay giving their child a smartphone until at least 8th grade as smartphones easily provide access to the Internet, social media and gaming. Our public promise helps to reduce the social pressure to have a smartphone by making smartphones the exception, not the rule.

Public Supporters: Healthy and safe technology use is about more than just smartphones in middle school. That’s why we support all parents. Members listed as “Supporters” publicly support and join our community even though they are unable or unwilling to make the promise.

Private Supporters: Private Supporters are just like public supporters but will not be publicly listed on our website.

To join TLO Bedford, please complete this form.

To get more involved or to be a local partner, contact Heather Thacore. Please also complete this form so we have your info!

*We add names manually so sometimes it can take up to 24 hours to see your name on the list. If your name is missing, misspelled or mis-listed, just reach out! We are human and we make mistakes.*