A recent qualitative study conducted in New Zealand looked at 20 children aged 6 to 9 in workshops, small group interviews, and other activities to assess the impact of parental phone use. Yup, the parents' use! The research highlighted how keenly children observe their parents' device use and how significantly it shapes family dynamics, as other studies have previously shown. While some observations were neutral or positive, a recurring theme was that devices interfered with shared time, often leading to children expressing frustration or sadness.

How to bring this up with families:

• Try meeting parents where they are, saying something like, "Do you have concerns about your own phone use? I know we all spend too much time on our phones!" while you're asking about a child's screen time.
• AND, you can offer simple suggestions for adults (and for yourself, too) like time limits for phone use, avoiding all technology at mealtime, and caring out some phone-free time each week to do a family activity.