Parents should lead by example this Christmas and turn off their phones during family time, England’s children’s commissioner has said.
Dame Rachel de Souza told the Press Association that children were “clamoring” to be reunited with their families over the festive holidays and urged them to have “phone-free time”.
According to a recent survey, nearly half of parents with children 18 or younger plan to allow phones at the Christmas dinner table this year.
“I can’t tell you how many children tell me that they sit down to dinner and their parents are talking on the phone,” Dame Rachel said. “So this Christmas, let’s turn them off.”
Research by More in Common for Yondr found that nearly four in 10 adults say smartphones have interrupted their Christmas in some way.
The children’s commissioner said that while she had been guilty of using her phone during meals in the past, the key was to set clear guidelines for everyone, not just children.
“We have to lead like adults,” Dame Rachel said. “We cannot talk about prohibitions for children if we do not do it ourselves.”
His comments came as he launched a new guide offering tips for children’s online safety and how to set limits on screen time.
Pete Etchells, professor of psychology at Bath Spa University, told BBC News that Christmas is a good time to engage in conversations with children about developing healthy relationships with technology.
“It’s not about feeling guilty or ashamed about our use of technology, but rather noticing it more,” he said.
“And engage in conversations about what makes us happy and what we’d like to do differently.”
The commissioner’s new guidance, available online, was published to help parents who “may feel overwhelmed” by “mixed messages” about online safety, and is informed by children’s focus groups.
In it, parents can find “practical tips” and “conversation starters” on how to talk about topics such as managing screen time, coping with negative online experiences, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Teenagers aged 13 to 18 told Dame Rachel that they accepted that bad things can happen online, feeling it was an inevitable part of the online world.
They also shared how they had been contacted by strangers, viewed pornography and were aware of intimate images of their peers being shared.
Dame Rachel said it was essential for parents to “talk early and often” to their children about their online presence.
Arabella Skinner, from Health Professionals for Safer Screens, told BBC News that a few simple rules can make a difference.
He suggested creating a family plan around device use or designing a box to store cell phones during meals.
“Children feel safer and happier when they have our full attention, eye contact and presence,” she said.
“It is very important that we, as adults, spend time with our children and not always looking at screens.”
A report published by regulator Ofcom earlier this month highlighted concerns children had about the negative impacts of endless screen time and “brain rot”.
It found that children aged eight to 14 spent an average of almost three hours online each day, and that up to a quarter of that time was between 9pm and 5am.
