Device helps parents monitor, limit children's time on electronic devices

Electronics were one of the hottest gift items again this holiday season, but their popularity has some questioning if it's OK to allow children unlimited screen time.

The American Academy of Pediatrics said kids between 2 and 5 years old should spend one hour or less looking at a screen every day. For children older than 6, it's advised that parents not let electronics infringe on sleep or physical activity.

"Less than an hour or two a day is the healthiest. Kids that have the least amount of screen time have the highest grades. They read more, they sleep better," Dr. Victoria Dunckley, a child psychologist said.

In a GMA experiment, a family with four children gave their kids unlimited screen time for 48 hours. The children slept as little as six hours.

The family knew they needed help.

"We're constantly trying to engage them. Let's do this; let's go here. But they're so addicted to them (their electronic devices), that they don't know how to come off of them."

That's when the Sargent family turned to Circle with Disney, a device that allows parents to monitor device usage and set limits for each individual person using the device.

Disney is the parent company of ABC11 and GMA.

Click here to learn more about the Sargent family's experiment.

When the experiment was over, the family all seemed to agree that limiting screen time was important and possible.