Since this is a translation of an overseas article, there may be mistranslations.
https://www.avcesar.com/parents-accros-au-smartphone-danger-pour-les-enfants-48066
Are Smartphone-Addicted Parents a Risk to Their Children?
Smartphones, essential tools, are also modern-day scourges, relentlessly devouring available brain time. And if we want to protect children from excessive smartphone consumption, it starts with the parents' habits.
The world has changed forever since the first iPhone appeared in 2007, nearly 20 years ago. While improvements have been made, it has also caused harm by fueling addiction that erodes social bonds.
Many of you are familiar with the scenario where a group of people is gathered, but one (or several) are captivated by their phones, virtually absent. This is a disaster that even parents with children experience.
Toxic Parents
"Do you love your phone more than me?" A study titled this investigated the topic among 600 American teenagers aged 12 to 17. The researchers found that parental screen attachment can worsen anxiety and instability in children and adolescents.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1766665/full
More precisely, these teenagers feel that their parents are unavailable or not paying enough attention to them. They may feel worthless, ignored, and unimportant, leading them to distance themselves emotionally from their addicted parents.
Of course, this study shows more correlation than causation, and the authors acknowledge that preoccupied parents don't automatically create insecure children. However, it supports making screen-free time during important activities like conversations, meals, and others.
▶ Original source: https://www.avcesar.com/parents-accros-au-smartphone-danger-pour-les-enfants-48066
