What happens when families put phones away at dinner? Here’s what survey reveals

In families across India, the dinner table is slowly but surely regaining its position as the centre of family life. The most recent findings from vivo’s Switch Off Study 2025 reveal a strong yearning for real connection among families—this need is frequently hidden beneath the never-ending light of smartphone screens.

Even though the virtual world has totally merged with daily life, the research indicates that families are starting to resist; they are creating little pockets of time where being there and talking are more important than receiving notifications.

Dinner: A time to spend together

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For most parents and children, dinner has become the one time of day when they feel closest to each other. According to the report:

"With 91 per cent of children saying conversations feel easier and more meaningful when phones are kept aside, dinner becomes a natural space where attention aligns and families reconnect."

But the biggest disruptor at the table isn’t children—it’s parents.

A striking 72 per cent of parents and 30 per cent of children admit that adults checking their phones during meals shuts down conversations before they even begin.

When parents are busy, children turn to AI

One of the most unexpected insights from the study is how deeply young people are embracing AI—not just as a learning tool but, increasingly, as a companion.

54 per cent of children aged 10–16 use AI regularly.

They rely on it for homework, personal development, and even creative pursuits.

A growing 33 per cent of children say AI feels like a 'companion' at times, occasionally substituting real-life relationships.

The deeper concern?

67 per cent of children say they turn to AI because their parents are too busy, and one in four openly admit they now talk less to their parents because AI fills that emotional space.

Smartphones and the emotional drift at home

The Switch Off Study uncovers an emotional pattern many families will recognise. Parents, distracted by work or habit, tend to micro-check their phones—sending subtle signals of unavailability. Children, in turn, interpret these silent breaks as lost warmth.

The numbers tell the story:

Parents spend 4.4 hours on their phones daily; children spend 3.5 hours.

During shared moments, parents are consistently more distracted—

• 70 per cent on phones during movie time
• 64 per cent during family celebrations
• 53 per cent even at the dinner table

Children, meanwhile, are more willing to disconnect if they feel genuinely heard.

Shifting digital patterns: A family trying to find balance

Despite these challenges, families aren’t giving up. The study reveals a strong desire to rebuild healthier digital habits through small but intentional changes:

• Turning off non-essential notifications
• Limiting screen time
• Establishing social-media-free hours
• Choosing digital detox periods
• Keeping phones out of shared spaces

These steps are already making a difference

More than half of parents and children feel more in control of their digital habits, and many wish they had started these changes earlier. Importantly, the study shows that children adjust their usage more easily when adults model offline behaviour—proof that presence is contagious.

A common desire: More present people, less distracted ones

There's a common wish among different generations for a much bigger presence. The parents and the kids want the home to have certain areas where the use of phones is absolutely prohibited—most of all during family gatherings. They are willing to create such a scenario where the conversations are not interrupted and the attention is not divided and loving feelings are not taken away by the sound of a buzzing phone.

Commenting on the significance of the Switch Off campaign, Geetaj Channana, Head of Corporate Strategy, vivo India, said, "The findings of this year’s Switch Off Study remind us that families are actively seeking balance, choosing to disconnect during key moments and rebuild presence in their everyday lives.”

A signal that connection needs space

The study in the end brings to light this very simple reminder: even in a world that is full of digital stimulation, families still rely on the simplest way of connection—being together, not disturbed by anything.

The study supports a classic truth as more families reclaim their common areas such as the dining table. Meaningful relationships do not blossom in front of the screens—they thrive during the time when we put them away.