BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- 17 News recently examined the far-reaching implications of growing up in a screen-saturated world, in the special report, Digital Addiction. Parents in Bakersfield share ideas and encouragement for caregivers concerned about too much screen time, but lured in by the convenience. Author, mom and anti-screen time advocate Kailan Carr makes it her business to get kids off screens. Literally. Carr's latest book is called "Screens Away, Time to Play." Digital Addiction: Full interview with researcher Zach Rausch "Play is the way. Technology changes all the time but what kids need for development has not," says Kailan, who is also a former teacher. With her two children she aims for screen time to be a family affair. When they are watching TV or movies, it's together; and all other screen-based activities take place in a common area, not alone in the kids' bedrooms. Independence and a play-based childhood are what Jill Amstutz and her husband are striving for with Allison, 3, and John, 5. "We were kind of mindful of just not being on iPads or phones when they were little. We kind of thought their little brains don't need that stimulation right away," Amstutz said. Now the family comes together for one movie night a week. That's all the screentime John and Allison get; Jill says that's enough. "I watch them watch these movies, and it's fun hanging out on our big couch, but I'm like, 'you guys are just like, zombies.'" She offers ideas and encouragement to other parents concerned about too much screen time, but lured in by the convenience. "We have a bag of special stuff when we go to restaurants, special coloring, special markers, sticker books. It's the restaurant bag that's always in the car." Even though the kids don't nap anymore, they still have quiet time, but it's not on a screen. Digital Addiction: The time spent in front of cellphone screens has ‘rewired’ modern childhood "Moms need a break with the quiet time, but we don't do TV and they still have quiet time," she said. "She'll play in her room with dolls and for Christmas we got these things called Tonieboxes and they tell stories." But what if you got on the tech bandwagon years ago, thinking you were preparing your kids for their future, not harming them? Remember, every generation makes its own mistakes, and we can only act on the information we have at the time. "It is not too late to change, it is not too late. Sit down and have a conversation with your kids, and say when you know better you can do better and I just found out this is not great for your growing brains," explains Kailan. She recently added a free guide to scaling back on screens, on her website, kailancarr.com. Clinical psychologist Dr. Corey Gonzales says there's good and bad in everything, but with young, developing brains, it's clear that the less time on a phone, the better. "Don't let them get it until they are in high school, negotiate a contract on screen time and take it out of their room at night." Maybe it's time to disconnect so we can reconnect with our kids.