3 Tips to Help Your Parents &  Students Manage Screen-time Over the Holidays

The December holidays bring a welcome break from the school calendar and the excitement of holiday gifting. Yet, this season also creates a predictable tension point concerning children's digital engagement.

Research shows that Christmas is one of the times of years when families tend to buy new technology (smartphones, smartwatches, gaming consoles, and other devices) the most. This influx of novelty combined with the absence of regular school structure frequently means a significant surge in device use, often manifesting as increased social media scrolling, intensive gaming sessions, and other potentially problematic digital habits. This shift can negatively impact sleep cycles, heighten familial conflict, and reduce opportunities for quality, in-person family connection - all of which students can bring back into the new semester and your classroom.

To learn what you and other educators can do to support your students and parents over the holidays take a look at the new virtual panel talk by our partner Kigumi Group, “Parent's Guide: Setting Healthy Screen Time Limits for Kids Over the Holiday Break”, featuring child psychologist Lorraine Sin and positive parenting coach Bharati Lachmandas.

We’ve pulled out 3 quick tips from the talk below. Forward it to your parenting association or counsellor to share with your parents and start this holiday season differently.

Tip 1: Set the Stage Early with Family Agreements 

• Don't wait until the problems arise: Sit down before the break to openly discuss screen usage. Cover key questions like: "How much are we going to use the screens?" "What times of the day are appropriate?" and "What screens are we going to use?".

• Build Buy-In and Autonomy: The goal is collaborative "compassionate collaboration," not parental enforcement. Listen to your children's desires and take their perspective into consideration to find a middle ground.

• Give Developmentally Appropriate Reasons: When setting a limit, always give reasons for why you’re setting a screen or tech related limit, rule or boundary..

  • For example: "The phone needs to stay in the living room after 8 PM because the blue light makes it hard for your brain to slow down, and we want to protect your sleep". Introducing logic, medical evidence and respect for them as rational thinkers can start quite early.

  • Or: “We’ve had a number of discussions now about how you want Instagram because your friends do. I hear that you feel it’s important to you to have the same things as them. But I think we still see that the risks are still too big for you right now. And I’d rather talk about what’s the most important thing to your friendships - having the same things or spending time together?” 

Tip 2: Prepare for Transitions Ahead of Time

• Use Visual Reminders (Especially for Younger Kids): For children under eight and neurodiverse kids, visual reminders are essential.

  • Print out the agreed-upon plan and put it on the fridge or wall at the child's eye level.

  • Use a visual timer, such as a round clock with a colored-in section that "runs out," or a sand timer. Physical reminders are better than relying on the parent to manually take the device away, which can trigger a fight-or-flight response.

• Give Timely Warnings: Prepare your child for the "cliff". Give them a five-minute warning, then a three-minute, and a two-minute warning before the time is up. This prevents the sudden emotional upset that comes from an immediate cutoff.

• Reframe the Discussion: Instead of battling over a specific amount of screen time, zoom out. Discuss how their body and brain feel when they have a certain balance or proportion of different activities throughout the day. Encourage hobbies and interests that are not screen-based.

Tip 3: Practice Emotional Regulation

Before entering a high-strung conversation or moment of conflict, parents must first recenter and ground themselves.

• Take a Break and Ground Yourself: It is okay to take a break and tell your child, "I'm feeling very frustrated. I just need a minute to calm down. I'll be back in five minutes when I feel a little more ready to talk". Always come back to the conversation.

• Use Simple Breathing Techniques: Breathing exercises trigger the vagus nerve, which is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, to calm the body.

  • Box Breathing: Inhale for four seconds (up one side of the box), hold for four seconds (across the top), exhale for four seconds (down the next side), and hold for four seconds (across the bottom).

• Use the Five Senses (5-4-3-2-1): When overwhelmed, focus on simple senses to ground yourself. Name five things you can see; four things you can hear; three things you can smell; two things you can taste; one thing you can feel.

• Model Emotional Awareness: Show your children that it’s okay to be overwhelmed and that you are using tools to calm down. Simply being aware of your own internal emotional flux is a huge step.

For those based in Thailand, Kigumi Group founder and CEO, Mila Devenport, is leading a workshop entitled Moving from Digital Literacy to Digital Wellbeing for School Leaders. Learn more on the event website.