One in seven parents allow their baby to play with an iPhone for more than four hours every day

One in seven parents are allowing their baby to play with their iPhone or tablet device for more than four hours every day.

Results of a poll on baby site Babies.co.uk, showed that 81 per cent of respondents thought their children spend too much time on smart devices. But, 55 per cent also said they allowed their baby to play with them.

Managing Director of Babies.co.uk, James Macfarlane said: “There’s no denying it, when a distraction is required there is often no more effective tool than giving your baby your smartphone or tablet. When you’re in a restaurant, in the car, or trying to hear the person on the other end of the phone, today’s technology often provides the quiet you need from your child in an instant. ‘The real problem with babies playing with smart devices is what it leads to in the future. At what age will we teach them to sit patiently at the table in a restaurant, to make conversation with other people or to simply cope with being bored in every-day situations without producing our smartphone for them?”