As part of the second annual Unplugging Day in the UK On Sunday 28th June, parenting website My Family Club is encouraging parents to ditch their phones, tablets and laptops for the day, in order to pay more attention to their children.
The site launched a study which reported that parents check their phones up to 240 times a day, checking texts, emails and social media notifications, which they equated to four hours out of every 24. As such, they are behind the push to live unplugged for a full day and Gemma Johnson, who founded My Family Club, said “We are encouraging people to unplug and engage in life without a digital connection and be present for our children. I’m urging all individuals to check how much they are using technology and look at the impact it is having on those around you. I certainly didn’t realise how much time I was spending on my smart phone until my oldest son pointed it out, this is why this campaign is so important to me.”
The National Unplugging Day website has a range of outdoorsy prizes to be won in an attempt to keep families entertained whilst they are banned from their gadgets. Have a look at this pre-baby Bewildered Dad blog about the important role a mobile phone can have in parenting.
What do you think? Is smartphone addiction an issue? Will you go unplugged? Can you go unplugged? Where is the baby whilst you read this?
For what it’s worth, it seems like one of those issues that is best served by moderating usage rather than swinging from one extreme to the other, but since when has common sense made good copy?
Leave a Reply