Parents Need Screen Time Limits, Too, Pediatricians Say

Children learn from their parents—the good, the bad, and the distracted

Parents who are absorbed with and distracted by their mobile devices tend to have less parent-child interaction and more conflict with their kids. Shutterstock

As much as children need limits on their smartphone use and screen time on other devices, parents need “off-hours” time, too, according to a new resource published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Children learn smartphone habits from their parents, so it’s important to make time to unplug and “single-task,” prioritize quality time with children, and resist the urge to document everything, the authors write.