Journal Article

“Just Five More Minutes”: Exploring Children’s Perspectives on Parents’ Device Use

Coyne, Sarah M., Kelly, Christopher, Swit, Cara S., Crossen, Sarah, van Gerwen, Jennifer

2025

Overview

Parents today are spending an unprecedented amount of time on their devices, potentially disrupting family dynamics. Despite their central role in family life, children’s voices and perspectives on their parents’ device use have been largely neglected in research. This article explores the experiences and perceptions of 6–9-year-old children ( n  = 20) regarding their parents’ device use at home and its impact on them. Through a combination of workshops involving whole class activities, small group interviews, drawing, and role-play, the study captures children’s views on parental device use. The findings reveal that children are keenly aware of the patterns and purposes of their parents’ device use throughout the day, often observing the high level of absorption and preoccupation parents exhibit when on their devices. Children expressed feelings of neglect and frustration due to their parents’ divided attention. These results highlight the depth of perception and awareness young children have regarding their parents’ device use in the home. In the context of encouraging responsive parenting and positive parent-child interactions in a digitalised 21st century, it is crucial to recognise children as active observers and learners concerning devices and their role in contemporary family life. Highlights This study highlights children’s awareness of how devices disrupt parent-child interactions. Young children can provide critical insights into how parental device use impacts family dynamics. Parents’ preoccupation with devices leads to frustrations and feelings of neglect in children aged 6–9 years. Encouraging parents to model and discuss healthy device use with young children is recommended.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: 21st century / Absorption / Adolescents / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Bullying / Caregivers / Child abuse & neglect / Child Advocacy / Child and School Psychology / Children / Children & youth / Childrens Rights / Compulsory Education / Consent / Divided attention / Educational activities / Ethnic Diversity / Expenditures / Families & family life / Family (Sociological Unit) / Family relations / Family roles / Focus Groups / Frustration / Influence of Technology / Internet access / Multiculturalism & pluralism / Negative Attitudes / Original Paper / Parent attitudes / Parent Caregiver Relationship / Parent Child Relationship / Parent Participation / Parent-child relations / Parents & parenting / Perceptions / Preoccupation / Psychology / Researchers / Role playing / School Demography / Smartphones / Social Bias / Social Desirability / Social Sciences / Sociology / Teenagers / Workshops / Young Children