Sweden Urges Parents to Put Down Smartphones Around Children

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STOCKHOLM: The Public Health Agency of Sweden issued new official recommendations on Monday, urging parents to put away their smartphones when spending time with their children. 

The updated guidelines follow extensive research highlighting the negative impacts that adult screen time has on early childhood development and family interactions.

While the health authority has advised parents to reflect on their mobile device usage since 2024, these updated measures offer more concrete behavioral suggestions. Parents are explicitly instructed to use their phones only for absolute necessities or during shared activities with their children.

 Furthermore, the agency advises adults to establish ‘screen-free zones’ in shared spaces, such as bedrooms and around the dinner table, mirroring the boundaries already recommended for youth.

The policy shift addresses research showing that heavy screen use by parents disrupts direct interactions and leads children to mirror those habits. Health officials emphasised that children are deeply influenced by adult actions rather than spoken words.

 The guidelines align with Sweden's broader national effort to curb screen reliance, which includes a recently announced government ban on smartphones in schools for students up to grade nine.