Are Mobile Devices Harming Our Kids — or Are We Modelling the Wrong Habits?

You look up from your phone—and realise your child hasn’t spoken in over an hour.

They’ve been glued to their screen.

So have you.

You began yelling at them for not doing anything or studying… while you were also on your phone the whole time.

How did we get here?

Are mobile devices really harming our kids… or are we unconsciously modelling the very habits we’re trying to correct?

Let’s look beyond blame and explore what we can do to reclaim connection, purpose, and learning.

Devices are everywhere—at mealtimes, in cars, even in classrooms.

According to the 2018 DQ Institute report, children aged 8–12 spend an average of 32 hours a week on screens just for entertainment. That’s about 4.5 hours every single day.

That might not sound like a full-time job...But here’s the truth:

It’s more than the hours many adults spend with their own kids each week.

And while not all screen time is harmful, this much passive digital consumption—videos, games, social media—quietly replaces things that matter:

• Face-to-face conversation

• Movement

• Wonder

• Rest

• Imaginative boredom

🧠 The scary part? It didn’t happen overnight. It crept in… and now it feels normal.

FTGP Session with a child

As a former MOE teacher, I used to meet students one-on-one during FTGP (Form Teacher Guidance Period)—a quiet, intentional time to check in with each child beyond grades and homework.

One day, I asked a Primary 4 boy what he did over the weekend.

He simply said, “ Stayed home. ”

I assumed his parents were working. But when I probed further, he replied:

“My parents were home… but they were on their phones. So I just used mine too.”

He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t complaining.

He had just accepted that this was normal.

Three people under one roof. Each in their own world.

That moment stayed with me. Not because it was rare—…but because it was common. We want our kids to focus, connect, and grow.

But are we showing them how?

Children don’t just listen—they mirror.

If we’re always scrolling at mealtimes, or distracted during playtime, what message are we really sending?

Let’s start by changing us.

3 Ways to Model Healthy Tech Habits

1. Be Present, Not Just Nearby

Be concerned with what concerns them.

Create tech-free moments that matter.

🕒 Try this: Declare Sunday mornings as “No Device Hour.” 2. Explore Beyond Four Walls

Screens shrink the world—real life expands it.

🌱 Try this: One new family activity each month. 3. Use Devices with Them, Not for Them

Co-use the phone. Watch, talk, reflect.

💬 Try this: “What did you enjoy or learn?” Final Thought Instead of fighting our children over screens, let’s walk with them.

👣 This week, choose one moment to be fully present—no devices, no distractions.

Because the greatest influence in your child’s digital world… is still you.