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By Michaela Gordoni
Christian author Laurie Kreg and digital safety expert Chris McKenna recently got together to share the importance of being engaged with your kids.
In an episode of Kreg’s podcast, McKenna, who founded Protect Young Eyes, explained the story of one mom who thought she was doing the right thing by frequently taking her kids to parks. She was giving them fresh air and play instead of screen time.
But she was on her phone. She realized that when she kept her phone away, her daughter would always glance at her to see if she noticed her.
“Mom, do you see me…? Do you notice me? She didn’t realize how many hundreds of glances from her daughter she’d missed, even though she was doing all the right things,” he said.
Kreg added, “We’ve all done it. We all have scrolled or emailed or texted when we should have attuned. We don’t have to let shame swallow us when we hear this. We can let godly conviction lead us to make small changes today that could have long-term impact on the hearts of our kids for years to come.”
One dad who writes for CNN eliminated all screens when his kids were around for one month. It had very positive results.
His 6-year-old told him, “I do like it. I feel more connected. I can’t tell your emotions when you’re talking to me while on your computer.”
Related: Did You Know This About Americans’ Screen Time Habits?
His 10-year-old said, “When it makes more of a difference is when I ask you a question, because it feels like you’re paying more attention, even if you were listening the same amount while looking at your phone.”
Parents prioritizing what’s on their screens instead of engaging with their kids can have detrimental effects on them.
In one study published in Developmental Science, infants from seven months to two years old were found to be in more distress and less likely to explore their environment when their moms were on their phones around them.
The researchers noted, “Like other forms of maternal withdrawal and unresponsiveness, mobile-device use can have a negative impact on infant social-emotional functioning and parent-child interactions.”
In a study that examined six thousand 8- to 13-year-olds, 32% said they feel “unimportant” to their parents when they’re parents use phones around them. Over 50% said they thought their parents spent too much time on their phones.
If your kid is nearby, consider shutting this screen down and spend a little time with them — even if it’s just watching them do their thing.
Read Next: Screen Time Limits Aren’t Just for Kids — Parents Need Them Too
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