Children handed smartphones to calm tantrums don't learn how to control their emotions, new research shows READ MORE: Children addicted to tech are more likely to suffer psychosis By Xantha Leatham Deputy Science Editor For The Daily Mail Published: 05:00 BST, 28 June 2024 | Updated: 05:00 BST, 28 June 2024 e-mail View comments It can be all too tempting to hand a fractious child a phone or tablet to calm them down. But doing so means they may fail to learn how to regulate their emotions, experts have warned. Children learn much about self-regulation – how to respond to certain situations – during their first few years of life.
It can give them the ability react calmly instead of angrily in frustrating or stressful situations, and helps them learn how to get along with others and become independent. In recent years, however, it has become more common to give children digital devices when their emotions become overwhelming. Analysis revealed that the more parents used phones or tablets as a pacifying tool, the worse their children were at anger and frustration management skills a year later And researchers are have discovered doing so could have damaging long-term repercussions.
A team from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary asked 265 parents to fill out questionnaires on their child's behaviour. Their children were, on average, 3.5 years old and a follow-up questionnaire took place a year later.
Analysis revealed that the more parents used phones or tablets as a pa.
