The frequent use of screens by parents can harm interaction with children, who tend to develop similar behavior, according to research cited by Swedish authorities.
The Swedish Public Health Agency on Monday urged parents to put away their cell phones when they are with their children. to set an example and encourage “healthy habits”.
“Put your cell phone away when you are with your child. Use only if necessary or when they are used together”, says the agency in a statement.
The agency also encourages parents to develop “healthy screen use habits for yourselves”, adding that this would influence children’s habits.
According to the agency, studies show that the use of screens by parents can negatively affect your interactions with their children and that children of parents who use screens a lot are more likely to develop similar habits.
It also recommends that parents adopt “screen-free areas”, the same ones suggested for children, such as in the bedroom or at the dining table.
“Children are not only affected by what adults say, but also because of what adults do. Small changes in everyday life can make a difference both to interactions in the present and to the child’s own habits over time”, said Helena Frielingsdorf, a psychiatrist who works at the agency.
Other recommendations from the Swedish agency include avoiding using screens before bed and not introducing screens to children before they turn two years of age.
In recent years, Sweden has adopted several measures to try to reduce the time children spend using their cell phones. The Swedish government also announced in January that it intends ban smartphones in schools for students up to the ninth year, which corresponds to children and adolescents up to 15 or 16 years old.
