Study finds Irish parents spend extra two hours daily on phones

Research by Virgin Media O2 reveals that parents of under‑18s in Britain spend, on average, two hours more each day on their smartphones than non‑parents, often without realising it.

The 18‑month digital wellbeing study gathered over 16,000 responses. It showed 76 % of parents said they frequently pick up their phone without thinking, compared with 57 % of non‑parents. Almost half of all respondents admitted to checking or picking up their phone 30 times or more a day without a specific reason.

Dr Mary O’Kane, a lecturer in psychology and early childhood at the Open University, explained that parents may feel “cut off” while caring for young children and turn to phones for a brief “me time”. She warned that algorithms encourage prolonged scrolling, especially when parents are stressed or lack adult company.

The study also asked children aged eight to 16 about their parents’ phone habits. Sixty‑three per cent believed their parents were unaware of the time spent on devices, 58 % wanted more presence, and over half said parental phone use caused them to miss important family moments. Nearly half reported having to repeat themselves because a parent was on their phone, and 34 % said a parent missed something they wanted to show them.

Experts highlighted the concepts of “technoference” and “parental phubbing”, noting that excessive phone use can interrupt valuable face‑to‑face interaction, which is crucial for positive child outcomes. Both Dr O’Kane and senior paediatric clinical psychologist Dr Claire Crowe stressed that occasional phone checks are not harmful, but awareness and balance are essential for strengthening family bonds.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Negative Space / Pexels.