Daughter had friend round - how would you handle this situation?

[Toastedpickle]

DD had a friend round after school, both 11. She is a good friend of a couple of years and we have had her round a few times before. The friend spent 90% of the time round here on her phone, messaging people from what I gather. To the point she was even ignoring DD and myself when we spoke to her, she was on it even during them eating dinner and constantly just sat on it until eventually DD gave up with it all and came to play games and chat with me and youngest DD while friend was upstairs in the bedroom on her phone. I took her home and again on her phone the whole way in the car while we chatted around her. She then didn’t even realise when I had pulled up at her house and stopped the car.
I wanted to say something when DD came down but she asked me not to. She looked so upset. And I can’t help thinking what a shit thing phones are for childhood. It’s made me really sad actually - she was like a zombie. Should I have told her to come off it? Should I mention to the mum (don’t know her that well)? She has had the phone for nearly a year so not like it because it is new and exciting.

As long as no one else in the household looks at their phone at any point while the friend is there, otherwise it's hypocritical!

Dd has a friend like this. I just say no phones and take them away. They can get them back when they leave. Last bonfire night we ran into the family out at an event at the village hall. They all sat inside the hall (4 children and mum) on their phones doing nothing but scrolling because there was WiFi in there. 🙄 It’s sad. But no, if I were you, I would not have her over again or if I did, I’d be very direct that no phones allowed with her and the parents.

Sign of the times
this is like a regression dressed up as progress
people seem to have lost the normal ebb and flow of verbal interaction hence coming across as entitled and rude children need to practise conversation in order to be able to have a normal social life and develop relationships
it is easier to put the TV on to keep young children entertained but not nourishment for their development reading to kids before bedtime seems to be a quality activity which rarely happens anymore media has taken over