Parents turn to phones to entertain their kids at the dinner table

With busier lives comes less time for loved ones – a common problem for many. With more to distract us and entertain us that quality time can be even harder to come by. Once upon a time, mealtimes were a sacred and special time to chat and discuss your day with your family, but that’s steadily on the decline.

Almost a quarter (22%) spend their mealtimes in front of the TV, while 16% spend theirs at separate tables. Even when people are together, the distractions are still present with 77% of parents keeping their phones on the table during dinner, despite it being a big annoyance for 82%! Almost 7 out of 10 parents (68%) bring the phones and tablets out to entertain their children at mealtimes meaning actual conversations are being put on the back burner.

The new research by Scandinavian nursery range, Stokke, has also found that over two thirds (67%) of parents think they spend too much time focusing on their phone rather than their child, while 63% also resent the lack of time their parents spent with them as a kid.

In order to help break the cycle and bring back quality family time Aston spoke to Charlotte Stirling-Reed, nutritionist who was hand to give advice on how parents and children can come together for mealtimes.