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Parents as Guilty as Kids When it Comes to Too Much Screen
Time
Special to The Truth
Parents spend nearly the same amount of time with devices as
they do with their kids, according to new research from The
Genius of Play, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to raising
awareness of play’s vital role in child development.
The results of the OnePoll survey of 2,000 parents of
school-aged children ages five-18 suggest that families
should be finding more screen-free ways to spend time
together. Half of the survey’s respondents have been asked
by their child to put their phone away, and 79 percent
believe that their relationship with their children would
benefit if everyone spent less time on devices.
“Screens and tech can make up some of your playtime, but
parents should be mindful of creating balance,” says Ken
Seiter, EVP, marketing communications at The Toy
Association, the organization that spearheads The Genius of
Play. “A wide variety of toys and games will help create
rich childhood memories, lead to optimal physical, cognitive
and social-emotional development, and nurture critical
skills like creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.”
Parents are aware that excessive screen time is a problem.
Seventy-four percent worry that their child spends too much
time staring at a screen and the majority limit their kids’
screen time to about two hours per day. However, when it
comes to their own use of devices, setting a limit is easier
said than done. Survey results revealed:
• Sixty-two percent of parents admitted to spending too much
time on their cell phone while with their kids.
• Sixty-nine percent feel “addicted” to their phone.
• Parents spend almost as much one-on-one time with devices
as with their kids. They are spending an average of two
hours and 17 minutes of personal time on their phone per
day, compared to two hours and 41 minutes of quality,
screen-free time with their children.
The survey also found that while parents worry about the
amount of screen time kids are getting, technology is now an
integral parenting tool.
• The majority (83 percent) agree that screens and
technology are necessary when raising a child in this day
and age.
• Parents use screen time to keep their child occupied (58
percent), as a reward (53 percent) and to help their child
calm down when they’re upset (52 percent). In addition,
taking screen time away is used as a consequence (63
percent).
“Parents often complain that it’s hard to get kids to put
down devices, but they can set a positive example by
swapping some of their own screen time for other types of
play,” says Seiter.
Experts at The Genius of Play recommend setting aside
dedicated periods of the day for arts and crafts, word
games, role play, board games, sports, puzzles, charades and
other screen-free activities to maximize quality time for
families, which will benefit both kids and adults.
For inspiration and play ideas, visit TheGeniusofPlay.org or
follow @GeniusofPlay on Facebook and Instagram.
Omnipresent digital devices are a fact of modern life.
However, with commitment and creativity, families can spend
a greater portion of their free time without screens.
Courtesy StatePoint
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