SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — Many parents are guilty of being on the phone in front of their children – probably more than some would like to admit. And it turns out kids do notice the behavior and they respond in different ways.
"We can't relate to it because we didn't have it growing up, so it's new territory for everybody,"” said one parent.
The concern with overuse of your phone in front of your children is two-fold: one, your child may feel ignored and two, more screen time for you, may lead to more screen time for them.
Some studies show increased screen time could result in cognitive, language and social delays in children.
News 8’s sister station in Dallas, Texas, WFAA sat down with some kids a to hear their thoughts.
“They're on a call and you try and get their attention and then they yell at you,” said one boy.
“My mom just checked on her phone last night and I went to say ‘hello,’ but she didn't even answer me,” said a little girl.
“It makes me feel sad because they're ignoring me and I don't like when they ignore me,” said another young girl.
In the footage, it seems some parents were a bit shocked.
"Hearing that it makes them sad, of course that has an impact,” said one girl’s mother. “That was my New Year’s resolution - to turn off notifications."
The lesson here is to be more aware of your phone habits around your children. And it's not just important for parents of human kids, apparently dog moms and dads need to worry about their screen time too.
"[Pets} might become destructive or get items that you don't consider appropriate because either they’re bored and they’re good at making their own entertainment or they actually have discovered that if they steal certain items that will always get your attention,” said animal behavior expert Dr. Julie Albright.
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