Parents get creative when it comes to screen time, kids and the holidays
This holiday season, families across the country are preparing to spend quality time together -- as long as they can overcome the distractions.
From tablets and phones to video games and computers, there's seemingly no end to the number of screens appearing before our eyes.
But new studies reveal that excessive screen time isn't just a nuisance.
A recent analysis shows kids who spend more time using devices are at a higher risk for developing issues like aggression, low self-esteem and anxiety later in life.
So, what can be done?
Without a doubt, technology is here to stay, but now, parents are coming up with creative ways to solve the issue.
Some have even spent thousands doing so. A recent report in the Washington Post says some parents are shelling out nearly $8,000 on camps that promise to detox kids from the warming glow of screens. One camp houses groups of teenagers for four weeks with no access to tech. The goal, according to the Post, is to relearn how to spend time without being online.
Indeed, several addiction treatment centers nationwide also offer so-called "screen addiction" treatment.
Other parents, like former NFL cornerback Chimdi Chekwa and his wife Xia, are pushing their three kids to participate in outdoor activities where success and failure are taught each day.
"Get them into a sport or an activity, something that they can learn from, something that they can work on, something that they come home and think about and have to improve on," Chimdi Chekwa told ABC News of his and his wife's parenting approach.
The Chekwas said they try to be intentional with their screen time, but that during the cold winter months, it can be a challenge.
"We're just trying to make sure that they don't overconsume, because you can definitely see when they've been on it too long or too much, they act totally different," Xia Chekwa said.
For San Francisco-based mom Susan Rosenthal, packing the calendar for her daughter felt like a full-time job.
"We had to schedule every minute of the day ... or else she would be bored, and there will be consequences for us," Rosenthal told ABC News.
The mother of two has since partnered with other Silicon Valley parents to create a product Rosenthal says is designed to cut down on excess screen time.
The device -- known as the Dex Learning Camera -- aims to teach children new languages and puts an emphasis on education as well as play. The camera allows kids to take pictures of any object they want and then teaches them how to pronounce the name of the object in a foreign language. Each word is saved and then becomes its own flash card for future practice.
For Rosenthal, knowing her daughter is doing something more educational and interactive rather than just scrolling or watching a screen gives her peace of mind, she said.
"I personally wanted to build something that was for Zoe and that she could use, that we could have fun all together as a family," Rosenthal said. "Just looking in the landscape, the No. 1 thing that was constantly being in my face as a mother was like, how do you entertain them? And screen time was such a big no-no."
As a recent Pew Research Center survey showed, many parents say they still have work to do when it comes to addressing screen time, for both their children and themselves.
Colleen McClain, a senior researcher focusing on internet and technology research at Pew Research Center, said parents are juggling a lot all while dealing with their own screen time issues.
"In many cases, parents are trying to manage a lot of different priorities and just make the best decisions for their kids," McClain told ABC News.
Overall, experts say it's all about moderation and creating a plan when it comes to striking a balance with kids and screen time.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents and caregivers have conversations with kids around their use of screen time and "support them in using social media in ways that strengthen their social, emotional, cognitive and identity development."
The AAP notes that research shows having rules around social media focused on "balance, content, co-viewing and communication" leads to better outcomes than rules focused just on how much or how little screen time is allowed.
