How five teens who spend up to eight hours a DAY on their phones coped without their gadgets revealed
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TEENS who ditched their phones for a 48-hour 'digital detox' have revealed they felt happier, healthier and more harmonious when they stopped scrolling.
The Sun On Sunday issued the challenge after a Bristol school banned smartphones when staff found a pupil's mobile had received more than 9,000 WhatsApp messages in a single night.
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Peter Kyle is considering imposing a daily two-hour 'app cap' for kids as well as a possible 10pm social media curfew
Credit: Alamy
Child and educational psychologist Dr Jennifer Wills Lamacq says parents worried about kids' screen time should 'model good behaviour'.
She explained: 'Adults often have unhelpful habits themselves and their children see it.
' Social media isn't the root of all evil. It just needs to be balanced with other forms of play.'
As Technology Secretary Peter Kyle considers imposing a daily two-hour 'app cap' for kids as well as a possible 10pm social media curfew, here we reveal how five youngsters fared without their gadgets.
LOLA ARCHBOLD - 4 HOURS A DAY
WHEN she is not playing football, Lola Archbold, 15, mainly scrolls through TikTok and Instagram on her iPhone and watches Netflix on her iPad.
The Portsmouth youngster averages four hours of screen time per day.
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Lola Archbold, 15, mainly scrolls through TikTok and Instagram on her iPhone and watches Netflix on her iPad
Credit: Solent
But after stepping away from her devices, Lola said: 'I definitely feel more awake and engaged. Yesterday, I spent over three hours doing my art homework.
"I'm doing my mock GCSEs so I've had a lot of revision. And we've all been for a walk with our dog, Rubble, which was nice.'
Mum Claire, 35, said: 'Lola's got an 11-year-old brother, Finn, and I've already noticed they are getting on better.
"Before, he might come into the room when Lola's on her phone and they'd annoy each other.
"She also seems a lot less distracted, which is amazing. She spent so long on her art without breaking off for messages.'
Stop blaming social media billionaires and MPs for kids' mobile phone habits - just be a better parent
MAX YULE - 6 HOURS A NIGHT
MAX YULE, 15, spends about six hours a night gaming.
He uses the Discord online service to chat to other gaming pals and often watches YouTube. He's now on his iPhone far less.
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Max Yule, 15, spends about six hours a night gaming
Credit: Glen Minikin - Commissioned by The Sun
Max, from Leeds, says: 'It has been good to have a break from the computer. I had to listen to my Dad's old Nineties dance tunes on vinyl because I couldn't use Spotify on my computer or phone.
'The biggest change is that I've been outside on the bike with my brother, Rufus, 12, and I've even sat in the garden with the cat.
"I fixed my broken remote control car. It has been quite a productive time. I missed speaking to my mates, but I reckon I slept better.'
Mortgage adviser dad Scott, 50, said: 'It has been nice because we've seen Max a lot more.
"We thought it was being a moody teenager that kept him away from us but it turns out it was the computer.'
POPPY HILLS - 8 HOURS A DAY
SUFFOLK'S Poppy Hills, 13, loves scrolling through TikTok and messaging on Snapchat and WhatsApp.
She averaged eight hours a day of screen time on her phone last week, before her digital detox.
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Poppy Hills, 13, averaged eight hours a day of screen time on her phone last week
Credit: John McLellan
She says: 'I found myself looking at the time a lot when I couldn't use my devices. It was a bit dull.
'The evenings felt very long because I would usually spend my time messaging friends.
"Actually, though, it wasn't that bad. I used my netball hoop in the back garden, I did lots of revision and I've read a fair amount of my book.'
Poppy's mum Em Wiseman, 48, says: 'Not having her phone meant we had a proper chat.
"When Poppy is on her phone, I just get grunts. I found things out about her school day and that felt really good.'
PEDRO AND DAVI SILVA - 2 HOURS A DAY
PEDRO SILVA, 13, and his brother Davi, 15, from Croydon, use Instagram, WhatsApp, Discord and YouTube.
Both have Samsung Galaxy phones and Davi has a computer.
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Pedro Silva, 13, uses Instagram, WhatsApp, Discord and YouTube
Credit: John McLellan
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Brother Davi said: 'I used to play the piano a lot, but times have changed, so it was nice to try that again in this experiment'
Credit: John McLellan
At the weekends, they'll each spend six or seven hours on devices but during weekend days it's just a few hours.
Pedro said of his time away from tech: 'I got to do some drawing, which I love. As a family, we played Monopoly on one night and Uno on another.
'Usually, I'd be on my XBox and looking at YouTube. The only downside was my brother and I annoyed each other a bit more than normal!'
Davi added: 'I used to play the piano a lot, but times have changed, so it was nice to try that again in this experiment.
'It's hard to go without devices because even our homework is on them.'
Mum Karlla Silva, 49, said: 'It's been funny because the house has started to get very noisy.
'Now, they're chatting a lot more, but also fighting a bit more, too.
'Playing the games has brought us together even better as a family.'
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