Parents told not to do everyday habit during Christmas
The Children’s Commissioner for England has insisted parents should lead by example and put their phones away when spending time with their families this Christmas.
Dame Rachel de Souza made a “heartfelt plea”, explaining that young people had told her their mums and dads were swiping at mealtimes and texting during family walks.
He advised families to implement “phone-free time” and create house rules that apply to everyone, warning that “no matter what you say, they will comply with what you do.”
Speaking about the controversial issue: “As adults, we must lead. We cannot talk about banning children if we are not doing it ourselves.”
Dame Rachel previously admitted she has been “guilty” of this too, but added: “The thing about children is that they will copy what you do, not what you say.
“So let’s definitely put our phones down this Christmas and spend time together somewhere where both adults and children are away from their phones.
“I can’t tell you how many kids have told me they sat down at dinner and their parents were talking on the phone, or they were walking around outside on their cell phones instead of talking.
“And kids are crying out for engagement and support from mom and dad. So this Christmas let’s shut them down, have some fun together and lead by example.”
Data published by communications regulator Ofcom earlier this month revealed that children aged eight to 14 spend an average of three hours online each day and also turn to their devices late at night.
Ofcom said young people aged 13 to 14 used their smartphones, tablets or laptops for around four hours a day, eight and nine-year-olds were online for two hours, and 10 to 12-year-olds were online for around three hours.
Meanwhile, adults in the UK spend an average of four and a half hours a day online; This found that adults aged 18 to 24 spent an average of six hours and 20 minutes a day, up 10 minutes on last year.
Dame Rachel’s comments come as she launches a new guide offering parents tips and advice on online safety and screen time.
In it, he warned parents and guardians that their role in keeping their children safe online cannot be “outsourced” to schools, politicians or tech companies, saying his research showed most young people “may not always say it, but they want clear boundaries.”
The guide, titled “What I wish my parents knew,” advises parents to be “kind” but “firm” with their children, involve them in rule-setting, and keep the conversation about online safety open and talk about it often.
Comparing the approach to sex education, Dame Rachel said young people had told her they would prefer to talk about online safety in a “relaxed and natural” way from an early age rather than have a “big conversation”.
He said children are aware of the bad and dangerous things they can see online, but many still won’t go to their parents about it out of embarrassment and embarrassment, fearing their phones will be confiscated, or classifying such content as the “norm”.
She advised parents to talk to their children about both the good and bad parts of life online, asking questions and using laughter to relieve tension, and for parents to make conversations more relaxed so they don’t seem too serious or scary.
Dame Rachel had previously called for an Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s but said she was now prepared to give tech companies and the Government a year to monitor how well the Online Safety Act was being complied with.
He said: “I’ll be watching really carefully and if things aren’t better by the end of the year I’ll be calling for under-16s to be banned from social media.”
Technology Minister Liz Kendall said: “The Children’s Commissioner’s guidance provides vital information about the online world children exist in and the conversations families need to have.
“Open conversations between parents and children are crucial. But they are even more effective when they are backed by real protections and robust enforcement. We are committed to making the online world a safer place for children to learn, connect and grow.”
