Last year, a well known American psychologist and academic, Dr Nicholas Kardaras, came to New Zealand giving talks in schools and had several television and radio interviews regarding the subject of school students using digital media in an effort to combat screen addiction.

These are his recommendations for parents :

• To delay the use of digital technology as far as possible until the age of 10
• Parents have to role model & practise what they want to see in their children
• Eat together as a family and don’t allow screens at the table
• Have a digital fast one day a week
• Have the digital equivalent of the sex talk with your children
• Develop a “digital spine” in making these decisions for your children
• Let your children be bored!