{"id":628517,"date":"2026-08-09T11:38:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/628517\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T11:38:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T11:38:13","slug":"setting-an-alarm-or-keeping-their-own-phones-off-how-do-parents-tackle-summer-screen-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/628517\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting an alarm or keeping their own phones off – how do parents tackle summer screen time?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mum-of-two Cerys Colven sets an alarm so her children don’t blame her when screen time comes to an end over the summer holidays.<\/p>\n

Six weeks is a long time to keep youngsters busy – so how many of them will be turning to devices for entertainment?<\/p>\n

Young people could spend 42% more time on their phones during the summer holidays compared to term time, according to research by Vodaphone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While reducing children’s screen time has been a long-time issue, one child psychologist said that “one of the most important things” is for parents to consider their own usage of devices.<\/p>\n

“Especially with my oldest son, his friends like to play on things like the Switch or Playstation or whatever, so he asks a lot more often to go on it,” Cerys said.<\/p>\n

“But i think there’s a lot of different games and apps where the kids can learn different things, talk to different people as well.”<\/p>\n

Before the holidays, the UK government issued new guidance, citing research that suggested 24% of parents of children aged three to five find it hard<\/a> to control their child’s screen time.<\/p>\n

It presents issues for parents of youngsters of all ages – including Cerys, from Brynhoffnant, Ceredigion.<\/p>\n

She is mum to Macsen and Elis, and although she says there is “room for screens” in their lives, it can be difficult to control that time.<\/p>\n

While her children love playing outside, one of the techniques Cerys uses to manage their screen time is to set an alarm on an Alexa device, so she “doesn’t get the blame” when their time screen comes to an end.<\/p>\n

\"Seren,<\/p>\n

Seren, Awen and Skye all have smartphones, but some use them more often than others [BBC]<\/p>\n

At Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Gwynedd, pupils were looking forward to the break on their last week of term.<\/p>\n

But were they planning on looking at a screen to entertain themselves?<\/p>\n

Skye is in Year 10, and spends about seven hours and 20 minutes every day on her phone during an average week, according to her phone’s data.<\/p>\n

At home, her parent’s don’t monitor her screen usage, but she does have to put her phone away at 20:00 BST.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes I think, ‘I just want to be on it for longer’,” she said.<\/p>\n

Skye was given a phone for the first time when she was 11, and thinks that has been a “good thing” for her relationship with technology.<\/p>\n

“My brother- he’s had a phone since he was three, and I only had mine when I was 11,” she added.<\/p>\n

“So I think that he has strong feelings when it comes to his phone.”<\/p>\n

Her classmate Awen spends a little over an hour on her phone every day, using it mostly to listen to music and chat with friends.<\/p>\n

She said: “I have to ask my parents’ permission to go on my phone.”<\/p>\n

Despite data suggesting otherwise, Awen thinks she’ll spend less time on her phone this summer, instead opting to spend time with family and read.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Osian says he doesn’t have any specific rules, but his parents do keep an eye on his use of screens [BBC]<\/p>\n

Classmate Osian also thinks he’ll spend less time on his phone this summer, although he doesn’t have any formal rules at home.<\/p>\n

“It’s sunnier so I think I’ll spend more time outside, but if my mam sees me on my phone too much one day, or one week, then she does take it away,” he said.<\/p>\n

Osian also spends about three hours a day using a gaming device, saying that it sometimes causes “headaches, and I feel a bit moody”.<\/p>\n

He added: “I’d like to see more sun [over the holidays] so I don’t have to go on my phone as often.”<\/p>\n

\"Nia<\/p>\n

Dr Nia Williams says it’s important for parents to consider their own screen time and the influence on their children [BBC]<\/p>\n

While an increase in screen time can have an effect on children’s behaviour and sleep quality, child psychologist Dr Nia Williams says a short-term change in habits doesn’t have harmful effects as a whole.<\/p>\n

She said: “If parents are working over the summer holidays, then of course it will be more difficult to control how long your child spends on screens.<\/p>\n

“There’s also the added cost of summer holidays.<\/p>\n

“We need to remember that holidays – they aren’t long, so when children go back to their routine, then all the better.”<\/p>\n

When managing screen time, “one of the most important things” for parents is to consider is how much they personally spend on screens, according to Dr Williams.<\/p>\n

“Monkey see, monkey do – so if [parents] spend a lot of time on the phone, then the kids might do the same,” she added.<\/p>\n

“I’ve seen parents set up no technology zones- like no phones at the dinning table.”<\/p>\n

To help children make the most of the weather, Dr Williams also encouraged people to look for free events in the local community.<\/p>\n

She added: “Too much screen time can have a negative effect, but there are also positives from spending time on screens, so just as long as a healthy balance is happening.”<\/p>\n

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