SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- With Christmas vacation nearly here, parents face the daily temptation to let children use electronics like iPads, iPhones and gaming systems, but a local therapist offers strategies to creatively limit screen time without causing holiday headaches.

Over the next week, students will enjoy day after day away from school during what the song calls “the most wonderful time of the year” but, for parents, it can be a completely different experience, especially with the draw of electronic devices. For board certified behavior analyst Arianna Martineau with Behavioral Health Network, who is also a parent, limiting screen time is a top priority during this time of year. “With my daughter, I always set a limit of, you know, 20 minutes and then we’re going. I let her know the transitions. I let her know it’s going to be 20 minutes and then we’re going to go for a nap or we are going to have lunch. I always make sure she’s aware of the transition to help ease in and out of that screen time,” Martineau explained.

That time limit is important, especially for younger children. It’s suggested no more than one hour a day for kids ages two to five. For older children, rather than a one-hour limit, the American Academy of Pediatrics said you should focus on quality of media use like homework and research, rather than a strict time cap.

Unstructured and unsupervised screen time can lead to worsening behaviors. According to the Mayo Clinic, too much time on electronic media, especially poor-quality programming, has been linked to obesity, sleep deprivation, behavior and attention problems, delays in language and social skills, and even violence. “My advice to families is to set timers too is to set timers, set expectations. Work with your children maybe before break you can kinds have them included. What’s the plan. Map out a plan,” Martineau said.

Having that plan is key. Set clear expectations and rules with your child. Treat screen time as something that must be earned with good behavior, following directions, or engagement with other non-screen related activities. “You know, say ‘First, we would like to, we’re going to do outside time and we’re going to do some chores,’ ‘We’re going to clean our room.’ After then, we’re going to have our 45 minutes, an hour scheduled screen time too,” she said.

If you’re still running into issues and your child refuses to give up their electronics, Martineau says to remain calm and expect push back. Again, this is where being prepared and having a plan comes in handy. Consider offering your child a menu of other non-screen activities. “Have them readily available instead of the screen, you know, books, puzzles. Make plans to go to the museum, go to the library… other activities. Plan trips, meet friend and family. Have play dates and other things that focus outside of screen time,” Martineau said.

Finally, children model their parents’ behavior through observational learning. It may be time to cut down on your own screen time as kids notice when mom and dad are also glued to their phones or computers.

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