Parents’ social networking could cause disconnect with kids

Parents’ social connections could be causing a disconnect when it comes
to the relationship with their young children.

Plenty of parents have interrupted an activity with their child to text, tweet or use other forms of social media. But in a society when we are technologically tethered to
cyberspace, it’s happening too often.

“The parent disengages before the child is ready. If that’s done over and
over, over the long term, I believe that it would have negative implications
on the child’s development,” said Deanne Davies, Valley child-behavior expert.

The need for attention could result in a child acting out to cope with
feelings of anger, anxiety and separation because their emotional needs
aren’t being met.

“What is often missed by caregivers, is that when those behaviors happen,
they don’t associate it to anything [parents] have done or not done,” said Davies.

More experts are weighing in on the relatively new phenomenon that is
prompting them to say “no texting while parenting.”

Dr. Neal Halfon with the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and
Communities was recently quoted as saying that “moments of deprivation,
lack of attention, compounded over time really count when it comes to child development.”

Further adding, “And it could be that the causes of rising rates of
developmental disabilities and childhood mental health problems are more
ordinary, simple and preventable than we think.”