The term 'phubbing' - that's 'phone snubbing' for the uninitiated - was coined years ago to describe the modern habit of ignoring real-life humans in favor of a glowing rectangle. Now, a study titled 'Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?' (no, really) has confirmed that doing this to your children has long-term consequences.

Published in Frontiers in Psychology in June, the study surveyed 600 U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 17 and found that parental screen attachment can crank up kids' anxiety and insecurity. Teens reported that when parents ignored them for phones, they felt 'devalued, dismissed, or unimportant.' Shocking, we know.

Smartphones have only been around since 2007 (thanks, Apple), but 98% of U.S. adults now own one, per Pew. Research on their effects is still young, but scientists are increasingly nodding in agreement that they're bad for kids. Teens are especially prone to compulsive phone and social media use - TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat - prompting thousands of lawsuits claiming apps were designed addictively.

Less studied until now: how parents' own phone habits affect their offspring. Previous work includes a 2023 Chinese study linking parental phone attachment to kids' screen addiction, and a 2024 Journal of Pediatrics study finding that 'phubbing' parents breed whiny, sulky, tantrum-prone children.

Lead author Don Grant told Bloomberg that a parent's phone use can cause 'insecure attachment' in kids, leading to lower self-esteem and a lack of confidence that 'they will carry for life.' But the study's authors note that not every phone-distracted parent ruins their child - they're just highlighting what kids perceive. So maybe put the phone down. The memes will wait.