Three in four families use phones at dinner table, says survey

Not every family eats at the dinner table, but for some it's a chance to spend some quality time together and talk about the day.

If your part of a family that does eat at the dinner table, do you have rules about using your phone or tablet?

Research from The Week Junior, a weekly news magazine for children, found that phones were regularly used by both parents and children during dinner.

A parent and a child from 2,000 individual families were asked questions about their dinner-time habits.

More than three in four families (77%) said they eat with their phones at the table, and one in four said they don't chat at dinner anymore.

What do you think about screen time at the table? Does your family have any rules about using phones or tablets at the table?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

What did the survey find?

A series of questions were sent to 2,000 families in the UK, with a parent and child from each household answering the questions. The children involved were aged between 8 and 16.

Here's what the survey found:

• Around half of the children (51%) surveyed said they used their phones while eating.

• One in three (32%) of families said they sat down together for dinner every day.

• And two out of three (66%) of the children said they would rather eat in front of the TV than with a parent.

• But more than eight out of ten (82%) children say they'd like dinner time to be a special time set aside to talk to their parents about what's going on in the world.

• The survey showed it wasn't just children who are drawn to their screens though, with two in five (39%) saying they have to ask their parents to put their phones down at the table.

Child psychologist and author Doctor Elizabeth Kilbey says there are lots of benefits to family dinner conversation including helping with children's development and opening their minds to new ideas.

Vanessa Harriss, Editor of The Week Junior, said: "As our research shows, quality time spent together over the dinner table is vital for families.

"Whether it's chatting about everyday things or discussing what's going on in the news, these family conversations boost children's development and their wellbeing."

How important do you think dinner time conversations are with the family?