It’s hard enough to talk to kids when they’re not distracted, but if you put the internet in their hands, it’s game over.
In a new survey, the average kid under the age of 18 is holding a phone 52% of the time when their parents are trying to have a conversation with them. (I assume these are TEENAGERS, but they didn’t specify.)
And it’s not just a kid problem. The same parents say their PARTNER is holding a phone 58% of the time they’re trying to talk to them.
Only 74% of parents report that they’ve had a “device-free” conversation within the past week. So at least some parents are making “no phones” rules at certain times, like during dinner, family movie nights, or family outings.
Overall, 78% of parents are worried about spending less time in real conversations with their kids.
It’s over. There’s no going back now. The best you are going to do is NEGOTIATE when all phones must be put away, and that goes for the PARENTS too. And most kids rely on YOU to pay for their phones and service plans, so you do have some leverage.
But it’s not ALL bad. It can be nice to have your children reachable pretty much 24-7.
