No matter how much you get frustrated by your child's use of screens, tablets or phones, the chances are that your own screen time is not much better. The use of digital devices by families and the amount of time spent on them is a hot topic at the moment, and one person who can offer the benefit of their experience is Spice Girl Mel B.
As a mum of three, including a teenager, Mel knows first-hand how difficult it can be to manage screen use within families. Here, she shares her top tips for helping both parents and their children stop the scroll and build healthier digital habits.
Mel B: You have to practice what you preach, if you're going to talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk too. Just get off your phone for a minute, have a bit of a break. We spend so much time on our phones and the statistics are not looking good. It's actually doing more damage to our mental health because we're not being present, we're not kind of, you know, just being aware and socialising on real time basis. Just get off your phone for a minute, have a bit of a break. Yeah, I mean, I had my kids, what, in the late 90s, you know, I've got a 27 year old and 19 year old and a 14 year old. So I don't think as a parent, I put that much emphasis on actually putting them in front of an iPad or my phone, I think now it's way, way, way more prominent, and I think the, you know, all the research that's been going on and the statistics that have come back, it's not good at all. It really isn't. So, you know, I was of the cusp where it wasn't that important, it wasn't really the thing to do, you know, it was more of like getting yourself into a mum and me toddler group and going to a park and spending time with, like, other parents, and I think we've lost sight of all of that. Well, my youngest is 14 and she's, like, very academic and very smart. So she she's quite a goody two shoes my youngest, so she doesn't bother with her phone too much. But when she does, you know, it's all about get ready with me and the TikTok thing, but she's not kind of blindsided or sucked into it as much, thank God, which is quite unusual, to be honest. Practice what you preach, you know, we're constantly telling our kids to get off their phone when when we're having dinner, and I might sneak it under the table. But, you know, you have to practice what you preach, if you're going to talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk too. My mum's in her 70s and sometimes she'll be sat with me, she's come round to visit me, and she's probably looked up from her phone like three times to engage, and then she wouldn't even know what I'm talking about. Tips on giving your kids screen free time. Um, I would say number one, which is for free take your kids to the park, do an activity together, whether it be cooking, whether it be painting, whether it be doing something other than sitting in front of your TV or your phone.
Mel B's top tips to reduce screen time
1. Lead by example: Mel says it's important to "practice what you preach" when it comes to screen use. If parents are asking children to put their phones away, they should be mindful of their own habits too. How adults use their devices has an impact on how our children use devices too. Dr Charlotte Armatige told us: "When we recognise and address our behaviours, it turns it into a family reset rather than a punishment directed at the child." If you want to check how addicted to your phone you are then take our quiz here.
2. Drop the doomscroll: Mel says that parents aren't being present in the moment, which she believes is doing harm to their mental health: "We're not being aware and socialising on a real time basis." Research conducted by O2 suggests that 20% of those surveyed never think about their relationship with technology and the impact it has on their mental and emotional health.
We spoke to Dr Simon Hammond, who is an Applied Psychologist and Lecturer in Education at the University of East Anglia, Simon told us: “Doomscrolling can amplify feelings of anxiety, helplessness, feelings of isolation, stress and depression, and we know these risks are more likely to be harmful in those who already experience these challenges.”
3. Create screen-free family moments: Mel says many of today's screen-time challenges differ from those she faced when her older children were younger and that her teenage daughter is, in her words, a "goody two shoes". However, Mel says screen free time is important: "Take your kids to the park, do an activity together, whether it be cooking, whether it be painting, whether it be doing something other than sitting in front of your TV or your phone."
Bitesize Parenting has plenty of fun activities to try with your kids, helping to fill the void left by screens.
Mel B was speaking to us as part of the O2 Scroll Stopper campaign, who's survey of more than 6000 people at its peak suggested that 37% of people say they feel addicted to their phone. If you want to check whether you're addicted to your phone take our quiz here.
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