A digital detox for kids without starting WW3 - is this possible?!

[Magicpaintbrush]

I'm wondering if any MNetters out there have successfully scaled back their kid's screen time without all hell breaking loose, and if so did you see any positive results?

Background; my DD (10 years old) suffers from low moods, general anxiety and separation anxiety , and is receiving professional help through a counsellor, however yesterday she told me she is so unhappy she would "rather be dead than alive" - I am desperate to do anything I can to help her to reduce her anxiety and help her to feel more positive, and I have read that too much screen time can add to feelings of anxiety and depression. I have also read that the blue light from screens can interfere with the body's natural sleep chemicals, and my DD is a terrible sleeper - I think lack of sleep is adding to her low moods, it feels like a vicious circle. I also wondered if the blue light from her night lights is causing her to sleep badly (she is afraid of the dark) - this only occurred to me today.

I would like to reduce her screen time for the reasons above but I'm afraid of making her more miserable than ever and it seeming like a punishment when all I want to do is help her. I don't know how to approach this and help her see it for a positive thing rather than a fate worse than death. What makes it harder is that all her friends get masses of screen time and have phones (we're holding off getting her a phone as long as we can, though she thinks it's incredibly unfair all her friends have one and she doesn't - I just feel it's another thing for her to get addicted to and we'll get one when she's older and out and about on her own, which she isn't just now).

I guess I'm asking has anybody done a screen detox or reduction for a child of DDs age or older and if so how did you approach it without causing more problems than you hoped to solve? My DH hates the i-pad and would happily ban it but he is like a bull in a china shop when it comes to understanding the emotions of hormonal kids. I think it's better to reduce her screen time rather than take anything away completely which seems really mean. I thought about saying no screens (i-pad or tv) after 7pm but does this seem too harsh? It also means we would all have to follow suit and I can't see my husband being torn apart from his phone or the tv even for an hour and half each evening, I don't think he'd know what else to do with himself.

Bump.

I think cutting down would work rather than cold turkey (we need to do this in our household too). Your evening screen ban is a good idea. A friend of mine managed her child's screen time by giving him a set amount of time per week or day and letting him earn more sometimes and manage when he used his minutes.

I think it's more easily done if you approach it from the point of view of spending more time doing other things than simply telling her she has to spend less time on devices. If it's her current only or at least primary form of entertainment then of course she will react badly to a imposed restriction.

However, if you tell her you're going to spend time between 7pm and 8.30pm reading, playing board games or going a craft together ( sewing perhaps?) then it will be a positive gain.

It's old thread but how did digital detox go?