CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – With the holidays approaching, many children are expected to receive their first phones or tablets, raising new questions about how much time kids are actually spending on screens.

Recent national studies show many children log several hours a day on devices, far above recommended limits for most age groups.

Schools and child-development researchers say they’re seeing the effects in classrooms, noting concerns tied to attention, sleep disruption, and reduced in-person interaction.

The holiday season is one of the biggest times of year for first-time device ownership, and researchers say early use patterns can shape long-term habits.

Many devices now offer built-in parental controls, daily timers, and app restrictions.

While these tools don’t replace supervi

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