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Your Kid Can Tell When You’re Paying More Attention to Your Phone, Study Suggests

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13.07.2026

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Your Kid Can Tell When You’re Paying More Attention to Your Phone, Study Suggests

Researchers found teens who felt ignored by their parents’ phone use were more likely to report anxious or avoidant attachment styles.

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Turns out, nobody likes it when an authority figure is endlessly scrolling on their phone instead of paying attention. You probably wouldn’t want a surgeon to pause in the middle of an operation to check Instagram for ten minutes. It turns out kids don’t appreciate parents mentally clocking out for the same reason.

According to a June study published in Frontiers in Psychology and reported by The Guardian, children who feel like they’re competing with a parent’s phone for attention are more likely to report signs of insecure attachment.

The study, which has........

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