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Have you ever been telling someone a story when their phone lights up, and their eyes flicker toward their device? Maybe they check the notification or send a quick reply. Although the interruption only lasts a few seconds, the conversation and your connection have been disrupted.

There's a name for these small, everyday technology-related interruptions that disrupt in-person interactions: "technoference."

What happens when the person seeking attention is a small child, and the person looking at their screen is their parent? In our new research, we wanted to see what actually happens when technology interrupts parent-child interactions.

Screens on phones, tablets and smartwatches are now part of everyday life, and technoference is common. One study from the United States found that 89% of parents report that digital devices interrupt interactions with their children at least once a day.

Another recent study from the U.S. found that parents spent an average of five hours a day on their phones while they were with their babies.

Babies and young children often share their feelings and ideas using looks, sounds, gestures and words as they learn about themselves and the world around them. It's best for their learning and development when adults respond quickly to these signals.

When a parent is distracted by a device, it can interrupt these important moments of connection.

That doesn't mean that parents need to put away their phones whenever their children are nearby; that would be unrealistic for most.

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