LIMIT SCREEN-TIME ON HOLIDAY

Going away on holiday… a term that once evoked thoughts of dropping off the grid, tuning out and giving technology a back seat to relaxation. However, search the travel bag of any child under 18 before they enter the family car bound for holidays and it’s almost inevitable you will unearth a technological cache. So, what to do about the growing problem within our children of too much screen time? One tactic is to draw a line from the start of the holiday and be firm with it. Set the rule early and you won’t have to try and establish it three days in. Your rules depend, of course, on how you’d like to run your family. An all-out ban may suit some parents while being totally unrealistic for others. If the thought of handling a fully-fledged mutiny in your holiday rental apartment makes you weary, perhaps imposing a curfew or ‘no fly zone’ is more suited. This can be simple — no phones until 5pm, no technology at the beach, screen time for two hours a day only. While your children will no doubt argue black and blue they ‘need’ their smartphone/tablet/other, people of all ages need periods of complete relaxation without outside stimulus to truly unwind and recharge their batteries. Holiday time for both you and your offspring is precious little in the calendar year, so make sure your holiday is filled with real memories, not tweeted photos that punctuate a lot of face-in-phone periods.