In 2024, Folkhälsomyndigheten (the Public Health Agency of Sweden) recommended that parents reflect on their own screen habits with their children.
Now, in 2026, the agency has released new recommendations that go much further.
“Mobile phones and other screens are part of everyday life, even for parents and other adults in the household," said Helena Frielingsdorf, psychiatrist and investigator at the Public Health Agency of Sweden, in the agency's press release.
"These recommendations should provide support and guidance for more conscious screen habits that can strengthen interaction with children and contribute to good habits in the family."
The agency highlighted three overarching recommendations for parents:
- Create good screen habits for yourself. They can affect your child’s screen habits.
- Put your phone away when you’re with your child. Use it only if you need to, or when you use it together.
- Protect and respect your child online. Think before posting photos or videos of them.
Helena Frielingsdorf said in the agency's press statement that “children are not only affected by what adults say, but also by what adults do. Therefore, small changes in everyday life can make a difference both for the interaction here and now and for the child’s own habits over time."
The agency's recommendations were released on Monday June 1st and are the result of a government assignment to investigate the connection between parents' screen time and children's health, according to Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
The agency notes that research shows parents' screen use can negatively affect not only the children's own screen habits but also their overall health and well-being.
In the new recommendations, parents are asked to put away their mobile phones when socialising with their children, if the phone is not used alongside the child.
The agency also recommends having phone-free zones in the home for all family members, for example at the dining table or in bedrooms.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden has already published guidelines for children's screen use, which included different time limits. Something similar is not recommended for adults.
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