How to set an 'electronic budget' for your family

ATLANTA - You've heard the warnings to dramatically cut your child's screen time.

But, how? Dr. Taz Bhatia of CentreSpring MD says try setting an electronic budget.

"So, that's the phone, the iPad, the TV, the video games, all of it," Dr. Bhatia says.  "How much time are we going to set for them to use?"

Think of it as a digital diet for your child's developing brain.

"We've got study after study that says the use of these electronic devices, with the stimulation of it, is affecting kids," Bhatia says.  "It's leading to inattention, anxiety, and, actually, poor grades."

The American Heart Association recommends limiting children to 2 hours of screen time a day. 

For younger kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics says go lower. 

How low?

"That depends on the child's age," Dr. Bhatia says.  "So, if you have an elementary school child, it's 30 minutes.  It sounds harsh, but it shouldn't be more than 30 minutes a day, because you want them to be involved in imaginative play, trying to think creatively."

For middle school students, she recommends setting an hour a day limit.

"But same idea:  what else could they be doing," Bhatia asks.  "Could they be writing? Could they be journaling? Could they be painting? Could they be playing outside?"

High school students can have more time, up to 2 hours a day on electronics, outside of their required school work.  You will likely get pushback, she warns.

"I think you have to set those boundaries and limitations as a parent: this is how we function. this is how we live, these are our rules," Bhatia says.

"When we talk about creating an electronic budget, it's not just because we're saying electronics are bad," Bhatia says.  "No.  It's because we know that they are changing the chemistry of the adolescent brain the preteen brain, and it's affecting the way our children function and perform in the world, and it's a real big problem."