Kids aren’t the only ones spending too much time on their digital devices.
According to new data from The Genius of Play— a nonprofit organization spearheaded by The Toy Association — half of all parents have been asked by their child to put their phone away. Even more concerning is that parents are spending nearly as much one-on-one time with their devices as they do their kids, and 62% of those surveyed admit to spending too much time on their phones while their kids are present.
“Nearly 80% of parents in our survey believe their relationship with their children would benefit if everyone spent less time on devices,” says Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “We hope the data will encourage parents to look for more ways to connect with their kids. Playing together as a family is a great way to strengthen bonds and create lasting memories, and The Genius of Play provides hundreds of play ideas to help families balance screen time with playtime.”
Additional statistics reflect the double-edged sword nature of living in a digital world. While 83% of parents agree that screens at technology are necessary when raising a child today, 74% worry that their kids are spending too much time staring at screens. More than half of parents (53%) reported using screen time as a reward, while taking away screen time is used as a consequence by 63% of parents surveyed.
