Let's say you received a flyer for a new summer day camp in the mail that contained the following information:

"We take your kids and keep them inside all day long. We do not allow them to move around much. They will spend their day in front of screens, the TV screen, the computer screen, and the video game screen. We like to call it Screen Time. Instead of three meals a day, we feed them all day long with junk food to keep them from being hungry for meals. Our camp is only $250 a day, please send a check for the whole week."

Would you send your kid to this camp? Of course not! What parent in their right mind would?

So why do we do it?

So why do we let our kids do this everyday?

If you will indulge a 47 year old guy just one little "when I was young rant" here goes:

When I was a kid, they had to drag me inside for dinner or bedtime.

Many people my age tell me the same thing.

Most of these things do not happen all at once, they just sort of creep up on you.

What to do

Screen time is not necessarily a bad thing. It's when screen time is the only thing that it becomes a bad thing.

A strategy that has worked in our family and in the families with whom I counsel and coach is this:

For every hour that a kid spends in front of a screen, the kid has to spend an hour outside having fun.

Simple, powerful, it works. Now go use this stuff!

Jeff Herring

Jeff is a marriage and family therapist, singles and relationship coach, mentor coach, speaker, syndicated relationship columnist and author.

Jeff has a full time private practice in Tallahassee in which he specializes in couples, teen and parent counseling. He also is a relationship coach specializing in working with couples and singles. Some of his professional activities include:

==> Internationally syndicated relationship columnist through Knight-Ridder/Tribune Media Services, with a weekly readership of over 10 million worldwide

==> Sought after speaker for organizations, associations, churches, and corporations

==>Twice weekly appearances on The Steve and Sara Show on Magic 107.1

==> Author of "Keep the Changes: 52 Tools for Successful Living" a collection of his best columns, as well as several e-books including "How to Create a Passionate and Loving Relationship.........Forever," "How to Beat the BOZOs: Dealing with difficult people without becoming one," and "Tame Your Teen: THE survival guide for parenting your teenager.

==> Founder and CEO of TheArticleGuy.com

==> Founder and CEO of SecretsofGreatRelationships.com

==> Founder and CEO of ParentingYourTeeanger.com

==> Founder and CEO of ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

==> President of BuildingYourIdealPractice.com

==> President of ConsciousDatingTallahassee.com