Perspective with Heather duPlessis-Allan: Kate Middleton's phone policy is the right way to think

Yeah, so it's weird that it takes a princess to warn us about this, but Kate Middleton has warned parents against phones at the dinner table.

She's written an essay in collaboration with a Harvard Medical School professor about the dangers of smartphones and social media eroding family connections.

She says, when we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social media during family dinners or respond to emails while playing with our children, we're not just being distracted — we are withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires.

And she then goes on to say, families must, quote, protect sacred spaces for genuine connection: family dinners, conversations, moments of genuine eye contact and engaged listening.

Now, some in our office today have accused her of being milquetoast and picking the most boring subject in the world to take on.

But isn't she actually on to something incredibly important here?

The family unit is the most fundamental and important part of society, and teaching our kids as parents is the most important job we have.

Role modeling good habits is more important than we realize — good habits that lead to good physical health, good mental health in the future.

And yet so many parents are actually distracted by our phones, sitting around, scrolling, allowing screens to creep into the time that we should be spending with our kids.

You talk to a year one primary teacher or even go to a Kindy teacher, they'll tell you that they're seeing some kids who cannot form sentences properly, even at the age of 5, because they spend too much time on the screen, not talking to their parents.

Their parents are presumably doing exactly the same, attached to a screen.

I have rules in the house.

The husband constantly breaks them and is constantly reminded about them.

No phones at the table, no screens in the car.

TV time is a treat — a treat for weekends and school holidays for the most part.

Some exceptions, like sickness — you know, you gotta bend the rules a wee bit.

The kids accept it because they don't know any different.

Kate and William have rules in their house — none of their kids have smartphones, even though the oldest is 12 and probably about to qualify for one, you would say.

Kate is on to something here.

It's probably one of the most insidious issues of our time.

Good on her for piping up — milquetoast or not.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yes, so it's weird that it takes a princess to
warn us about this. But Kate Middleton has warned parents
against phones at the dinner table. She's written an essay
in collaboration with a Harvard Medical School professor about the
dangers of smartphones and social media eroding family connections. She says,
when we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social
media during family dinners, or respond to emails while playing

(00:21):
with our children, we're not just being distracted. We are
withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires.
And she then goes on to say families must quote
protect sacred spaces for genuine connection, family dinners, conversations, moments
of genuine eye contact, and engaged listening. Now, some in
our office today have accused her of being milk toast

(00:41):
and picking the most boring subject on the world to
take on. But isn't she actually on to something incredibly
important here? The family unit is the most fundamental and
important part of society, and teaching our kids as parents
is the most important job we have role. Modeling good
habits is more important than we realize. Good habits that
lead to good physical health, good mental health In the future,

(01:02):
and yet so many parents are actually distracted by our phones,
sitting around scrolling, allowing screens to creep into the time
that we should be spending with our kids. You talk
to a year one primary teacher, or even go to
a kindy teacher, they'll tell you that they're seeing some
kids who cannot form sentences properly, even at the age
of five, because they spend too much time on the screen,
not talking to their parents, and their parents are presumably

(01:24):
doing exactly the same attached to a screen. I have
rules in the house. The husbandly husband constantly breaks them
and is constantly reminded about them. No phones at the table,
no screens in the car. TV time is a treat,
is a treat for weekends, in school holidays. For the
most part, some exceptions, like sickness. You know, you got
to bend the rules a wee bit. The kids accept

(01:45):
it because they don't know any different. Kate and William
have rules in their house. None of their kids have
smart phones, even though the oldest is twelve and probably
about to qualify for one. You would say, Kate is
onto something here. It's probably one of the most insidious
issues of our time. Good on her for pipe Up, Milk,
Toast or Not. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
Listen live to News Talks it B from four pm weekdays,

(02:07):
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio