I got to spend some time with my mom in South Carolina recently and she opened my eyes to something I want to share with you, parents.

And it’s this… how much time are you spending on your phone in front of your children? Do they see you looking at your phone while you’re driving? Do they see you looking at your phone while you’re eating? When they ask you a question, are you looking at them or at your phone?

My mom’s right. When children see their parents buried in their phones, it sets a terrible example. What children see their moms and dads doing becomes their ‘normal.’ It’s leading by example… and not necessarily a positive one.

It can’t be a double standard for kids. They don’t get it. If a parent is on their phone during dinner because ‘they had to look something up’ but the child at the table isn’t allowed to be on his or her phone, what do you think that does in that child’s head?

They’re going to emulate the behaviors they see, and that is directly related to how much time they’re spending on their devices.

So, just think about it. No one is judging here in any way, shape, or form. It’s simply a topic I want to bring up in case parents aren’t thinking about.

Do your children see you using your phone all the time? If they do, what do you think that means for them? What message are you sending?

Maybe, just maybe, if this resonates with you, you can change some of your behaviors to set a better example.

This is something we cover in our digital media family use agreement located on our blog. Feel free to grab your copy today if you need some help getting started with this issue.

Thomas Dodson

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