The dilemma of our modern age is screen time. Especially at the moment as we go through the covid-19 pandemic and we are stuck at home spending more time on screens then ever before. Many children come into contact with screens of, for example, a telephone or tablet from almost infancy. But once they get older, that screen time can get pretty out of hand.
How do you make sure you keep it under control without arguing all the time? We will help you on your way.
It all starts innocently; just turn on a movie while you cook, or when you have to answer that important e-mail. But unconsciously, we let our children get used to the screens in this way. And the older they get, the more the screen will pull them.
Screen Time Rules
And if you find it enough once in a while, it can end in ugly tantrums or heated discussions. How can you prevent that? By agreeing on clear rules together. Rules give your child grip and clarity, making it easier for him to accept it. But which rules do you set? We give you five examples.
Rule 1: After This Time
Set a specific time in the day where they can only use a screen after that time. For example, five in the afternoon.
Befor that time, other things are played with. This rule is especially useful if your child can already tell the time himself.
Rule 2: The Kitchen Timer
Determine how long your child is allowed on a screen at a time, for example, half an hour, and switch on the kitchen timer when your child switches on the screen.
Does the alarm go off? Then the screen goes out.
Rule 3: Divide Time
If your child is a bit older, you can also agree on a certain amount of time that he can spend on a screen per day. For example, an hour and a half.
To make it transparent, you can put six balls, each representing 15 minutes, in a container. When fifteen minutes have passed, you get a ball out. This way, your child knows better how much longer left he “has”.
Rule 4: Go Outside First
Make an agreement that your child is only allowed to play on a screen after playing outside. It is also handy to agree on how long he should play outside so that he is not back in after ten minutes.
Rule 5: The To Do List
Make a to-do list for school days and days off with your child. Only when your child has completed the to-do list is he allowed on a screen.
Things that could be on the to-do list include doing homework, cleaning up the room, doing something creative, drinking tea together, and so on.
Once you have all the rules established, make strategies to implement these.
You can also take help from digital tools to limit kids screen time, such as FamilyTime app. The app offers everything a parent can think of. With the app in hand, parents can:
- Look at their kids’ browsing history,
- See their kids’ contacts, their call logs, their SMS history
- Monitor the list of the app they use
- Check the app usage frequency to see which apps keep their kids hooked
- Block unwanted apps
- Watchlist suspicious contacts to receive alerts at the moment of connection
- Put internet filters to keep kids safe from inappropriate content
- Implement screen time limits on a daily or weekly basis
And much more!
Do you wish to give this app a try for free? You can!
The FamilyTime app is now available for a free trial of 3 days. During the trial period, you can enjoy all the premium features of FamilyTime without any restriction. Don’t miss this opportunity, and try the app yourself to limit kids’ screen time.
To download the trial version of the FamilyTime app, just go to the app store on your phone and install the FamilyTime app from there. If you are an Android user, go to the Google Play store and for iOS-based devices, visit iTunes or App store.
My name is Andrea Thompson and I’m a home based freelance writer. I’m 23 years old, married to my best friend, and mother to a wonderfully independent and opinionated 3 year old girl and step-mother to a sweet seven year old boy. I live in a tiny, little town in Kentucky, where I spend my free time fishing with my kids.
Writing has always been my passion, which I followed through high school, and for a while in college. Life happened, and once I discovered we were pregnant, I switched directions; opting for the healthcare industry because of the stability.
Finally, years later, I was in a place where I could leave the day job that never truly made me happy, and pursue my dreams. I’ve built, and am still building, my writing career from scratch. But, I’m passionate and I’m good at what I do. And, in the end, I can prove to my daughter that she can do anything she wants with this life.
