North East parents say their children are ADDICTED to technology
New figures show a third of North East parents struggle to 'unplug' their children from devices.
Parents across the North East say they struggle to keep their kids fit because they are too addicted to technology.
Research by Action for Children found a third of parents from our region found it hard to get their kids to 'unplug' from their devices.
31 percent said they struggle to get children to take part in activities away from television, phone and computer screens.
The survey found it was more of a worry to parents than encouraging them to eat the right food or getting them out of bed on a morning.
This parent said: "My son is always on his Playstation 4 and they spend hours and hours on it.
"It was only really when he was at school and the other kids had them, he then felt like had to get one.
"It's second nature to them now."
Rebecca Falkous is a language development worker for Action for Children.
She works with children in Ashington to develop their speech, and worries that an addiction to technology could hinder their progress.
She said: "I know most parents do use mobile phones and iPads and their friends are using them.
"They're not really communicating with anyone, they're just in front of a screen.
"They're not using language, not talking to anybody and not getting out and about."
Action for Children is currently running its National Children’s Hour campaign, which encourages parents and children to ‘unplug and play’ and enjoy some old-fashioned fun together. For more activity ideas, check out www.actionforchildren.org.uk/nch