Parents across England are being urged to put their smartphones away and lead by example during the festive family gatherings this Christmas. The call comes from the Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, who issued a heartfelt plea after hearing directly from young people about the impact of parental screen time.
A Plea for Engagement and Connection
Dame Rachel revealed that children have confided in her about parents scrolling through phones during mealtimes or texting while on family walks. She stressed that adults must model the behaviour they wish to see, warning that "whatever you say, they will follow what you do." The Commissioner advised families to establish clear household rules and implement designated "phone-free time" that applies to everyone.
"We have to lead as adults," she stated. "We can’t talk about banning the kids if we’re not doing it ourselves." Dame Rachel admitted she had previously been "as guilty" on the issue, but emphasised the powerful influence of parental example. "The thing about children is they will copy what you do, not what you say," she added.
Her direct message to families this Christmas is simple: "So absolutely, let’s this Christmas put our phones down, spend time together where both the adults and the children are off their phones together." She highlighted that children are "crying out for the engagement and the support with mum and dad."
The Stark Reality of Screen Time
This plea coincides with concerning new data on digital habits. According to a recent survey, nearly half of parents (48%) with children aged 18 or younger plan to allow phones at the Christmas dinner table this year.
Furthermore, statistics published by communications regulator Ofcom earlier this month paint a detailed picture of daily screen use:
- Children aged 8-14 spend an average of nearly three hours online daily.
- Teenagers aged 13-14 are on devices for around four hours a day.
- Adults in the UK are not immune, spending an average of four-and-a-half hours online daily—a 10-minute increase from last year.
- Young adults aged 18-24 average a staggering six hours and 20 minutes of online time each day.
New Guide for Navigating Online Safety
Dame Rachel's comments accompanied the launch of a new parental guide titled "What I wish my parents knew." The guide offers practical tips on online safety and managing screen time, stressing that a parent's role "cannot be outsourced" to schools, politicians, or tech companies.
It advises parents to be "kind but firm," involve children in setting rules, and maintain open, ongoing conversations. Drawing a parallel to sex education, Dame Rachel noted that teenagers prefer a "relaxed and natural" dialogue from an early age over one big, serious talk.
The guide also addresses a key barrier: many children, aware of dangerous online content, say they would not tell their parents out of embarrassment, fear of having their phone confiscated, or because they see such material as "a norm." To combat this, parents are encouraged to discuss both the good and bad aspects of online life and use humour to ease tension.
On broader policy, Dame Rachel reiterated her stance on social media, stating she is prepared to give tech firms and the Government a year to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act. "I’m going to watch really carefully, and at the end of the year, if things are not better, I will be calling for that social media ban under the age of 16," she said.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall welcomed the guide, stating: "Open conversations between parents and children are crucial. But those conversations are so much more effective when backed by real protections and robust enforcement."
