Teenagers constantly distracted by their cellular phones are getting some competition — from their parents.
According to two new surveys of adult and teen phone use, a majority of teens say that their parents look at their phone screens while they’re trying to have a conversation with them.
The Pew Research Center reported this morning: “Some parents of teens admit they also struggle with the allure of screens: 36 percent say they themselves spend too much time on their cellphone. And 51 percent of teens say they often or sometimes find their parent or caregiver to be distracted by their own cellphone when they are trying to have a conversation with them.”
What’s more, Pew found that parents are twice as likely to be distracted by their phone at work than teens are at school.
“15 percent of parents say they often lose focus at work because they are distracted by their phone. That is nearly double the share of teens (8 percent) who say they often lose focus in school due to their own cellphones,” said Pew.
The center did two polls that both size up the nation’s obsession with their handhelds.
Parents said they are concerned about the time their kids spend on their phones, and have moved to limit the usage. And teens agree, said Pew. Some 52 percent of teens are trying to limit their time on their phones, a potentially good move as schools open this month around the country.
Teen usage has been covered extensively, but parents not so.
Pew’s look at the adults found that they two are making more glances at their phones. Some 36 percent, for example, said they spend too much time on their phones, and 23 percent said they focus too much on social media.
