A parent has said “people are judgemental” of her choice not to allow her children to use screens.

Mother-of-three Emma Armstrong said she has been called 'weird' for not allowing her kids to use phones tablets or TV.

Instead, she prefers playing outdoors and being present with her children at all times.

On Lunchtime Live today, Ms Armstrong said this decision has sparked reactions from other parents.

“I had somebody say to me that they thought it was sinister,” she said.

“They thought it was sinister to not have my kids on screens.

“It’s weird for sure and I don’t know anyone else that does it – but there is a little bit of a movement towards screen-free parenting.

“It’s growing in America, this idea that screens are not brilliant for children or their development.”

Distraction technique

Ms Armstrong, whose children are aged three, six, and eight, said screens can be an easy distraction technique for some parents.

“At the start of lockdown, I had my third baby and was trying to navigate juggling work,” she said.

“My husband is a teacher so he was still working all the time.

“I had my hands full so the obvious one would be to put them onto YouTube videos, but I didn’t.”

Old-school

The mother-of-three said she favoured the ‘old-school’ approach to parenting.

“I’m engaged with them [my kids] in a way that a lot of grownups around them are not,” said Ms Armstrong.

“I love old-fashioned play like messing around outside and doing Lego and all the rest of it.

“It’s a strange choice to have made these days.”

Phone screen

Ms Armstrong said many people nowadays spend too much time looking at their phone screen.

“Everyone is using them all the time and every grown-up is walking around bent over looking at their phone,” she said.

“But my children are just not that interested.

“I don’t know anyone else like us, it’s a bit of a lonely place to be.”

You can listen back here:

Main image: A child looks at a phone. Image: Westend61 GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo