A head teacher in East Sussex has requested that parents put away their mobile phones when collecting their children from school. Andy Best, who is in charge of Pashley Down Infant School in Eastbourne, issued the appeal in a newsletter aimed at promoting conversation. Best remarked that pupils leave the classroom looking forward to seeing their parents only to discover that they are “scrolling on their phone, typing a message or on a phone call”. He said: “It’s sad to see”. The teacher stated that he hoped the no-phones request would “resurrect the joy of conversation back into the community”.
In 2017, a study into secondary schools discovered that overuse of mobiles by parents disrupted family life. Of the 2,000 11-18-year-olds questioned, more than a third said they had asked parents to stop using their devices. A separate poll of 3,000 parents showed 95% insisted they did not go online at mealtimes, although 14% of the children disagreed.
Best reported that parents had reacted positively to his appeal and are putting away their phones more frequently. He emphasised that he was not questioning parents’ “love and support” and unfortunately knew the issue was prevalent in other schools. In recent years, the standard of children’s vocabulary when they begin school has decreased. Best said that oracy, the ability to speak coherently, is a focus in many schools nowadays. He linked the worry over children’s language development with issues at home.
Parents should be mindful of the mobile phone issue and try to control their usage around children. They can help to improve their child’s language ability by engaging in more conversation. Encouraging children to talk and express themselves is a beneficial way to promote good behaviour, mental health, and overall child development
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