Cellphone Use During Meals Spikes Over Holidays

In the past, when there were very few uses of technology, people in gatherings would share the laughter and joys of their lives. Dinner with friends or family was all about sharing things that were going on in their life. They would look into each other eyes and have a good conversation.

But now, instead of staring at each other, people are staring at their phones and do not pay attention to people’s conversations. You will get surprised by recent stats on cell phone usage by kids.

The use of phones and social media is having a significant impact on people’s social interaction. All the action people do is for social media posts and have stopped living actual moments. People, especially teens, focus on screens and post pictures; you should keep your phone aside and enjoy.

People with mobile are more distracted than people who have put their phones away, and they experience little or no fun being with their families and friends when they are on their phones. Phone usage and especially the fear of missing out make people check their phones now and then.

On a 7-point scale ranking enjoyment, without phones, people score double the point as people who use phones.

Cellphone Usage Habit Among Children

Children and teens spend their time on the phone for entertainment. According to a study published by common sense media, they spend more than 7 hours per day on screen for fun. They play video games, watch videos, chat with peers, listen to music during their leisure time. Anytime they have to escape boredom or feel restless, they get drawn in for screens.

Teenagers and children are at significant risk of being dependent on phones, but is this only their fault? Mobile phones have replaced their good old toys. Kids are enjoying the screens, and the blame for it goes on the parents. Parents are responsible for these mobile habits, as they give their mobile phones to keep kids busy and not disturb them. So, parents must know the right age to get their kids a cell phone.

The first teacher and inspiration for any child are their parents. Most of the habit and behavior that kids develop is by looking at their parents and family members. So, when they see you constantly browsing the internet and engaged in the phone, they feel like it's good to use a cell phone.

And kids start using cell phones and surf the internet to get unlimited access to entertainment content. They start enjoying it and increases cell phones usage affecting mental health.

Parents start facing difficulty limiting the children's device usage time. Kids face problems like lack of sleep, weight loss, lack of confidence for social interactions, and more. Excessive use of the device can lead to both physical and psychological problems.

What Are The Phone Gadgets Used For?

As per a study conducted by sellcell.com, people admitted that their distractions during mealtimes are because of social networking sites. Another winning activity is 42% of people use devices to the table for streaming online video.

These two factors aren’t that unexpected. The vibes and feelings of attachment come from the use of social media. People keep sharing about everything on their social media, even though this causes detachment at the actual dining table. Giving cellphones to jumpy kids keeps them at ease.

28% of adults report using their electronic gadgets over the holidays to complete their pending work. The reports also say 31.97% used computers to play sports. It seems everyone prefers doing multiple tasks during their mealtime instead of paying attention to their friends and family conversation.

The research shows that cell phones accompany family time during holiday meals. The use of cell phones has created an imbalance in the tradition of spending quality time in a family. The overuse of mobile devices reduces social interaction among people.

The studies conducted show that 27% of the adults in the US bring their phones to the table while celebrating Thanksgiving family meals. The figure rises to 61% if the Thanksgiving meal is happening in a restaurant. This shows cellphones use spikes during meals over holidays. The concerns are about what adults do on phones at family dinners. A new survey study of SellCell answers that as well.

Cellphone Usages Among People During Holidays

During Thanksgiving meals, the number of adults who report using their devices is 26.87%. While during Christmas Day means, the numbers rise to 30.22%. The result is different for different other special occasions.

Every week family members take at least this time for each other. But even during this time, the number of family members that use their smartphones is 37.31%. While at birthday dinners, 22.01% of people report that they use their mobile devices.

For daily family dinners, 25% of adults use constant mobile devices. This figure is indicating towards the latest trend that might only be to carry phones to the table.

This number will keep increasing at the dinner table with the growth in technology. Because of excessive use of devices during family dinners and special occasions, people forget how to have fun. There is always a lack of communication, and even though your family members are around you, you will feel some distance. Thus, we can say that technology is bringing people closer; but it has also increased distances among people around us.

During day time, kids might need to stay active on the internet for their study, but after school, parents should limit internet time for kids and themself as the rush of keeping all the live updates on social media, people continue to be absent from the actual table. They will be busy sharing their experiences with the outside world. Occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas bring people together but miss their presence.

Reasons Not to Use Cellphone While Having Food

Here’s why you should not use your smartphones while having your food:

It’s Considered Impolite

Many people consider it impolite when you use your cellphone while having your food. When you are having a meal with your friends or family, they expect you to have a conversation with them instead of completely ignoring people and using their devices.

You need to show your presence at the table, not just physically also through your conversation and attention towards others’ conversation. Due to smartphones and digital devices, people’s politeness and courtesy are at risk. As per the research done by Pew Research Center, 88% of people consider it is not good to use the phone during family dinner.

Chances of Spreading Germs

You take your cellphone everywhere you go, which means your cellphone has been in all the cleanest and direst places. For instance, you place your cellphone on your kitchen sinks when you are in the kitchen; you may even keep your cellphone on the grocery store counter or in your car dashboard, anywhere it can be.

Now you can make a guess how dirty your phone might be. Touching the same phone while eating means you are moving germs from your phone to inside your body. This is why many people are having health problems like streptococcus, ecoli, etc.

Disturbs Your Family Time

No doubt, cellphones have been a common cause for disturbing quality of time with your loved ones. Even when you try not to use your device, one notification rings, and you get distracted.

Dinners with family should be full of laughter and joy, but that might not be possible if people are using their devices.

Sets a Bad Example for Little Ones

Children indeed learn all the basic things from their parents. And if you are one of those parents who use their phones while having food. Then your child is likely to do the same, no matter whether it is for entertainment purposes or your work.

Your kids demand their device when they see you using your device at the dinner table. Thereby, instead of using your devices at the dinner table, you can share your day with your kids and ask them about their day. You can update each other about what is going on in your life.

Conclusion:

Surprisingly, cellphone use during meals spikes over holidays. Thus, there is a huge increase in children's usage of cell phones all day long. So, being a parent, you must have to control and check your child's screen time. You must set parental control in their mobile phones, either iPhone or Android.

fenced.ai can help you monitor your child's device and control their usage. Here, you can find many useful tips and tricks that can help you be a smart parent, control your kid's internet use, and many more. Subscribe to fenced.ai for more parental tips on how to keep your kids safe online.