"Parents should lead by example this Christmas and turn their phones off during family time, the children's commissioner for England has said. Dame Rachel de Souza told the Press Association children were "crying out" for engagement with their relatives over the festive break, and urged them to have "phone-free time". Nearly half of parents with children aged 18 or younger plan to allow phones at the Christmas dinner table this year, according to a recent survey."
""I can't tell you how many children tell me about sitting at dinner and the parents are on the phone," Dame Rachel said. "So this Christmas, let's turn them off." Research by More in Common for Yondr found nearly four in 10 adults say smartphones have disrupted their Christmas in some way. The children's commissioner said while she had been guilty of using her phone at meal times in the past, setting clear guidelines for everyone, not just children, was key."
"Pete Etchells, psychology professor at Bath Spa University, told BBC News Christmas is a good time to lean into conversations with children about developing healthy relationships with tech. "It's not about feeling guilty or ashamed of our tech use, but noticing it more," he said. "And striking up conversations about what we're happy with, and what we would like to be doing differently.""
Parents are urged to lead by example by turning phones off during family time to improve children's engagement over the festive break. Many children report parents using phones at dinner, and nearly half of parents plan to allow phones at the Christmas dinner table this year. Research found nearly four in 10 adults say smartphones have disrupted their Christmas. The children's commissioner recommends phone-free time, admits past phone use at meals, and stresses setting clear guidelines for everyone. A new online guide offers practical tips, conversation starters and child-informed advice on online safety and screen-time boundaries.
Read at www.bbc.com
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