Question: All I see everywhere is parents either talking, texting or searching for messages on their cellphones in the presence of their children. No one seems to talk to children anymore. How is this affecting children? -- For More Personal Attention
Answer: There has been very little research on the effects of adults (parents and caregivers) being tied to their phones in the presence of kids. One study noted that children in fast-food restaurants reacted either by entertaining themselves -- often with tablets or mobile devices -- or simply misbehaving.
Since the development of language in young children is strongly dependent on adult-child conversation, it only makes sense for cellphones to be put away when adults are around children.