Holiday Tech Hangover? Time for a Family Screen-Time Reboot

School holidays are great, until they’re not. The kids have gone feral on screens, and if you’re honest, so have you. Suddenly the return to normal life feels like pulling a U-turn in a semi-trailer. The “just one more episode” culture is still alive and well in your lounge room, and your late-night doom scroll habit isn’t helping.

The good news? You don’t have to go cold turkey or launch into a digital detox worthy of a wellness retreat. It’s about small, realistic shifts that reset the whole family (you included) for the second half of the year.

“Kids don’t listen to what you say, they watch what you do. If you want them to have healthier screen habits, you’ve got to show them how it’s done.”

 Dr. Kristy Goodwin, digital wellbeing researcher.

Why the “Tech Hangover” Is Real

Holidays mean screen rules vanish fast, one episode turns into a season, and screens become the default babysitter or sanity-saver (no judgement, every dad’s been there). When normal life returns, the chaos sticks: 

• Kids going feral when you ask them to switch off.

• Bedtimes creeping later and mornings turning grumpy.

• You sneak in “just 10 more minutes” of scrolling when you know you should be asleep.

  
  

How to Hit Reset (Without Going Full Dictator)

This isn’t about power struggles or “banning” screens. It’s about finding a rhythm that works for everyone, including you.

Try these low fuss moves:

• Shrink screen time slowly. Don’t cut from 4 hours to 1 overnight. Nudge the boundaries back bit by bit.

• Bring back the anchor points. Dinner, homework, or bedtime = no screens. Non-negotiable.

• Create no-screen zones. Keep devices out of bedrooms and at the table, including yours.

• Pick one “family offline” moment. Maybe it’s a Sunday breakfast or a mid-week walk. Just 30 minutes of no screens together.

  
  

Yes Dad, It’s About You Too

Kids have a sixth sense for hypocrisy. If you’re glued to your phone while preaching “no more screens,” they’ll clock it in seconds.

• Call out your own habits. Admit you’re resetting too.

• Park your phone. Use a basket, a drawer, whatever to make it visible that you’re off-duty.

• Swap scroll time for something better. Read, cook, or just zone out on anything that models balance.

  
  

You’re not aiming for perfection; you’re aiming for better. A little less screen time, a little more real time. It’s the small changes, done consistently, that make the difference.

DADDING IN ACTION

Time for a screen time family challenge! The winner picks Friday night’s feed or flick.

Resources:

1. Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and survive) in Their Digital World by Devorah Heitner, empowers parents to mentor children on healthy tech habits rather than just monitor them. [Screenwise – (Book) | Devorah Heitner]

   
   

2. Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family by Ash Brandin, A compassionate and practical guide helping families navigate technology use together. [Power On – (Book) | Ash Brandin]

   
   

3. Screen Deep by Kris Perry

   A podcast exploring child development and digital wellbeing with expert guests. [Screen Deep – (Podcast) | Kris Perry]