Christmas 2019 should be tech-free, most parents agree in new study

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According to a new survey, four in five parents would be willing to go on a "digital detox" to be more present with their families this holiday season.

The new study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Groupon, found that 86 percent of parents have had their child complain that they spend too much time on their phone. In fact, more than half (53 percent) say they’ve missed out on an activity or bonding experience with their child because they were preoccupied with a phone or other device.

Sixty-four percent of respondents claim to have had their holidays disrupted by technology, with at least one member of the family staring at a screen while everyone is together. (iStock)

The poll of 2,000 parents found that nearly 80 percent say they want a break from their devices over the holidays, because instead of reaching for the presents on Christmas morning, 72 percent of parents polled say they reach for their phone instead.

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Forty-three percent say they spend more time on their phone on Christmas Day than any other typical day — with over half (51 percent) admitting that they check social media more frequently during the holidays.

And the average parent polled will spend four hours a day on their devices during the holidays — amounting to a total of 80 hours (more than three days) across all their digital devices in a single holiday season.

But, while it’s great to capture memories with digital devices, it’s important to soak up those memories as well. Fifty-five percent are planning a device-free holiday dinner this year. In fact, 31 percent claim they have banned phones and devices from the holiday dinner table in the past, and wil do so again this upcoming holiday season.

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Overall, three in four would prefer the holidays be a social media-free occasion. And over eight in ten say having digital devices at the dinner table is distracting, disruptive and ruins quality family time. This is most likely due to the fact that 55 percent have had the unfortunate experience of having a family holiday dinner disrupted by someone using a phone, or another device going off.

In fact, 64 percent claim to have had their holidays disrupted by technology, with at least one member of the family staring at their screen while everyone is together. A further 47 percent say they've had their holiday ruined because of social media.

Results also revealed that the average household is outnumbered three to one by their digital devices — as the average American household has around 12 in each home.

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Parents, it seems, are more eager to change these habits, as 85 percent would like to be more "present" when they are with their family during the holidays.

According to the results, "going to the movies" was the top experience parents want to share with their children over the holiday season. Other experiences and activities include attending holiday concerts (41 percent), traveling somewhere (40 percent), decorating the tree (35 percent) and going ice skating (35 percent).

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“Given some of the staggering stats that we found from speaking to parents, it comes as no surprise that eight in 10 are looking to take a break from their devices during the holidays,” said Brian Fields, Groupon’s Head of Experiences. “While devices are critical tools that we use for managing our lives and buying gifts for everyone on our list, it’s also important for parents to set aside some time over the next few weeks to make and cherish memories with their children.”