Article courtesy of CBS – Lansing, Michigan via “The Rundown”
Our obsession, or in most cases for busy parents, reliance on our cell phone is causing many kids to fall victim to distracted parenting. Child experts say, when technology becomes more important, it can truly hurt your kid’s development.
Kendra Moyses, a child development expert with Michigan State University says, she understands the sometimes impossibility to put down our technology, but the temptation to use it at all times of the day may need some management.
“Especially for a lot of younger children, like with infants, eye contact is a huge way that they communicate. That they take cues from their caregivers, so when that is not being given, it’s a detriment to the infant because they want to be able to have that interaction.”
Playing is essential to great child development and every kid wants their parents to watch, even before the time of cell phones. Moyses says, kids competing against not only your interest, but also technology can cause several negative outcomes.
“If a parent is involved in the cell phone instead of watching what their child is doing, not only is that potentially dangerous because they are not watching out for unsafe situations, but that child wants that connection with them, so if they are not getting it in one way, they may get it by acting out.”