Handing over a phone to buy yourself five quiet minutes can feel like a survival move, especially with a toddler who is already spiralling. But a new study suggests that using digital devices to calm very young children may come with a downside.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, followed 210 families from a range of racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds, with children aged 9 to 30 months and found that using phones or tablets to calm or distract kids was linked to more behaviour problems over time. The study, published in Developmental Psychology, also found that higher parenting stress was tied to more frequent device use for mothers, creating what researchers describe as a cycle of stress, screen-soothing and more challenges later.

The issue isn’t that screens are inherently bad, or that one emergency episode of Bluey is going to derail your child’s development. The concern is what happens when devices become a regular emotional shortcut. Researchers say relying on screens to settle toddlers may replace chances for them to practise the early self-regulation skills they’re still learning, like waiting, shifting gears or calming down with help from an adult.

What parents should take from this

If the phone is becoming your go-to tool for every tantrum, car-ride protest or dinner-prep meltdown, it may be worth building in a few non-screen calming options too. A favourite song, a snack, a stroller walk, a sensory toy, a change of scene or even a simple “I know, you’re mad” moment can all help toddlers start learning how to regulate with support instead of distraction.

And if screens are already part of the routine? That doesn’t mean you’ve messed anything up. It just means there’s room to rebalance. Small changes still count, and for exhausted parents, small is usually the only realistic place to start.

Article Source: Today’s Parent

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