UA FAMILIES UNITE
Bring Back the Neighborhood Landline
A growing group of Upper Arlington families giving our kids a simpler childhood and a way to reach each other without a smartphone.
Remember when childhood looked different?
When kids rode their bikes until the streetlights came on. When calling a friend meant dialing their number and talking to them, not texting. When "I'm bored" meant rounding up the neighbors for backyard football, not opening an app.That childhood isn't gone. It just needs neighbors who decide to bring it back together. One family saying "no" feels like deprivation. A whole community saying "yes" to something better feels like a movement.We're Upper Arlington parents who've decided to wait on smartphones, social media, and e-bikes. But here's the catch. When your kid doesn't have a phone, how do they reach their friends? The answer is the one we grew up with: the home landline. So we built a directory of family phone numbers, organized by school level, so our kids can call each other the old fashioned way.
How It Works
📞 1. Add your landline to the directory
This is the heart of it. When the families in your child's school level (elementary K–5, middle 6–8, or high school 9–12) share a home phone number, the kids can actually call each other. No smartphone required. Don't have a landline yet? Join anyway and add it when you're ready.🪧 2. Put a sign in your yard
It's how neighbors find each other and find the directory. The sign is the conversation starter, and your visible part in bringing childhood back.📬 3. Get the directory which updates as families join
We'll send you the directory for your child's group: elementary, middle, or high school. You'll get refreshed versions as new families sign up. No app, no notifications, no scrolling. Just an up-to-date list when you need it.
The Golden Bear Pact
We share one belief: kids do better with screens later, not sooner. You make the calls for your family. We're just here so you're not making them alone. It's easier to wait when other families are waiting too.
As we grow, we'll share what families are choosing through occasional surveys. You'll see where the community is leaning and know you're in good company. No pressure, no rules handed down. Just neighbors comparing notes and backing each other up. Our instinct is to wait as long as we reasonably can, with sensible steps along the way like a flip phone before a smartphone.
Where we're starting:
✓ Wait on smartphones as long as we can (a basic flip or call-text phone is a great in-between step)
✓ Wait on social media as long as we can
✓ No motorized rides until driving age
✓ Yes to bike rides, sleepovers, pickup games, and "be home by dark"
We're not judging anyone else's choices. We're finding each other so our kids have a peer group that doesn't need a screen to connect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information is shared in the directory?
Parents' first names and the first two letters of your last name (like "Sm."), street name (not full house number or address), household landline, and each child's first name, first two letters of their last name, and year (shown as grade and graduating class, like "Grade 4, Class of 2034"). That's enough to find your kid's friends, but no full house addresses, no full last names, and no photos.
Who sees the directory?
Only verified families in the same school level as your child: elementary (K–5), middle (6–8), or high school (9–12). Each group only sees its own directory. We sort each one by grade so you can easily find your child's exact classmates.
What exactly am I committing to?
Mainly the idea that kids do better with screens later, and that none of us should have to hold the line alone. There's no contract and no rules handed down. You always make the calls for your own family.
What if I don't have a landline yet?
That's okay. Many families join before their home phone is set up. And "landline" is just our shorthand: any shared home phone works, whether it's a traditional landline, an internet-based home phone, a basic phone that stays at the house, or a kids' home phone like Tin Can. The point is simply a number that rings the home, not your kid's pocket. Add yours whenever you're ready, and we're happy to share simple setup tips if you ask.
Is this affiliated with the school district?
No. UA Families Unite is a grassroots group of parents, not a school program.
How much does it cost?
The directory is free. Yard signs are at cost from the printer (about $15 to $20 each for the first run).
What about my older or younger kids?
Just fill out the form once for each child. One household can be in as many groups (elementary, middle, high school) as you have kids.
☎️ Just got your landline?
Add it to the directory so the kids in your child's group can actually call your house. Tap below and it'll open a quick email to us at [email protected]. Just send it over with your number, and we'll update your listing.
UA Families Unite · Upper Arlington, Ohio · Classes of 2027–2042
Questions? [email protected]
A volunteer-run neighborhood project. Not a school program.