Parents of under-18s are projected to spend an average of 88 hours on unintended phone scrolling during the summer holidays, a new survey suggests.
This extensive screen time is impacting family life, with over half (56 per cent) of children aged eight to 16 reporting that their parents' phone use causes them to miss important family moments.
A further 63 per cent believe their parents do not realise the extent of their device usage.
The findings, from an 18-month study of 16,000 people by Virgin Media O2, reveal that parents of under-18s spend over two hours daily using their smartphones unintentionally. They are significantly more likely than non-parents to fall into these unconscious habits.
Half of these parents (50 per cent) admit to having little to no control over their phone and internet use, meaning they are on track to spend almost four full days of the summer break engaged in unintentional smartphone activity.
More than three-quarters of parents (76 per cent) frequently pick up their phone without thinking, compared with 57 per cent of non-parents.
Almost half (48 per cent) check their device 30 or more times a day without a specific reason, leading to an average of two hours and six minutes of unintentional phone use daily – approximately 40 minutes longer than the average UK adult.
Almost three in four parents (74 per cent) said using their phone after a long day helps them relax, and 80 per cent say being online helps them stay in touch when life gets busy.
Almost half of children (48 per cent) said they have had to repeat themselves because a parent was using their phone, while 34 per cent said a parent had missed something they wanted to show them.
Asked when they most wanted parents to be fully present, children referred to everyday moments including talking together (47 per cent), family days out (40 per cent), and playing together (35 per cent).
Virgin Media O2 has launched a “digital intentionality score” to allow people to understand how they use their phones, and compare their behaviour against the national average of 63 out of 100 – with higher scores representing more intentional use.
The 10-question tool draws on both real usage data and self-reported habits to provide a clearer picture of how people engage with their phones.
Dana Haidan, chief sustainability officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Summer holidays are a chance for families to spend quality time together, but we know modern family life is busy, and parents are often balancing work, childcare, and everything in between.
“Our research shows many are getting caught in unintentional phone habits without even realising it.
“This isn’t simply about individual behaviour.
“Many of the digital services we use every day are designed to keep us engaged, making it easy to spend longer on our phones than we intended.
“Understanding those habits is the first step towards building a healthier relationship with technology.”
Strand Partners surveyed 6,002 smartphone owners between 4-10 April, 6,136 people between 11-16 March, 2,039 people between 28 November and December 1, and 1,004 people between 18-20 December.
Censuswide surveyed 1,000 UK children aged eight to 16 between 10-14 July.
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