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Children notice when screens take priority and may feel ignored or unimportant.

Mothers who use less media have richer conversations with their toddlers.

Media-free times can protect conversation, responsiveness, and shared family experiences.

This article was coauthored by Daniel Frost and Hailey Holmgren, professors at Brigham Young University, and Esther Eberting, a student at Brigham Young University.

“Mom! Mom! Watch this!”

“Look at what I made!”

“Did you see me, Dad?”

If you’ve been around kids much, you know these kinds of requests occur like clockwork. Kids are constantly asking us to pay attention to them—from proudly showing us a stick-figure crayon drawing to making sure we’re looking before they jump a whole two inches off the ground.

These requests might seem trivial, but child development research shows they may be an instinctual part of children seeking connection. Children want us to see their block towers and somersault attempts because it allows them to learn the social, language, and emotional skills that come from interacting with other humans. Our attention is a powerful developmental tool.

But winning our attention can be a tough battle; today, kids are competing with the endless entertainment and constant interruptions of the digital world. Researchers call it “technoference” when technology interrupts everyday interactions, and parent-child relationships are no exception.

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