Help needed: how to limit time on tablets for kids?!?

[gandtformeplease]

Hi,

Posting in here for traffic.

Bought kids (10 and 7) kindle fire 7s for Christmas. Had read up beforehand and thought I could use the parental control settings on them to limit screen time. Turns out it only works for apps, not internet use.

After a bit more research I found ScreenLimit app and downloaded it. Seemed fantastic. I could set limits for each day and block whatever I wanted, all controlled from app on my iPhone. Trouble is....it slows the tablets down so much it renders them useless. Deleted the apps and back to usual speed.

So...can anybody recommend anything else? I just want an app that will allow them to use them up to a certain point (say an hour a day) then just lock them. I want the kids to regulate their own time knowing they only have an hour so they choose wisely! Surely there’s something out there that does that?

Thanks in advance.

You don't need an app for that - just parenting. Sit them down and agree times and enforce it.

Rather than sitting them down and saying they’ve got an hour, I’m after something that will add up the ten mins here and there, so that it helps them to regulate their own time. Asking a (just) 7 year old to keep track of their usage would probably not work.

Thanks though.

Take it off them
You don't need an app to parent your kids.

I have given my ds who is nearly seven 4 copper coins. They represent 15 min each. He can choose if to use them all in one go or spread it out. It works perfectly fine.

You can usually sign into your router and set it to limit internet access for particular devices, we have done this for all of the dds devices inc phones and laptops.

Is there not a limit for total screen time

I use an app called Dinnertime. Don't know if it works on kindle fire but it does on my kids android tablets. I can control it from my phone, set daily limits, set bedtime etc.

It's much easier than me having to keep track of time and they never argue with the timer the way they do with me.

Thank you to the posters who gave tips and technical advice. I’ll look into the router and the DinnerTime app.

Rather than it being a lazy parenting issue, it’s more to do with the fact that it will keep track of all the little times they use it (5 mins on a game here, 20 mins on a programme or whatever) so that they choose and limit themselves.

It’s easy to be on the phone/sorting washing/feeding the baby when keeping track or when the allotted time is up. Not sure how many kids would be watching the time thinking ‘I’ve only got six minutes left then I’ll switch it off...’, mine would delight in getting a crafty few minutes more whilst I was distracted, I’m sure!

I have a 7 year old who sadly likes to watch YouTube videos... she would watch it all day if I let her.

I have just ordered her some time tokens, they comes in amounts of 5 minutes to 60. Together we came up with some everyday goals - doing homework/reading/spellings for school without fuss and so on. Hitting goals on a daily basis earns 10 minutes, there are ways of earning bonus minutes (full marks on a spelling test/ good school feedback etc.) but also ways of losing minutes. At the end of the week she can use however many minutes earned on her tablet at weekends. I was going to do a reward chart in the new year anyway but this has ticked two boxes for me in one go :)

I should add the time tokens come with a timer!

Does Family Pact work on Kindles?

We use qustodio

Just do actual parenting and take them off them. Apps etc is such lazy parenting

While you're at it, take their clothes to the river and wash them by hand, doing them in a washing machine is jut lazy parenting

My children can use their tablets during .... tablet time.

It's pretty straightforward. They put them away.

My son's fire is programmed to shut down every night at a set time via the parental controls.

I think you are expecting a bit much for kids of that age to regulate their own time, to be honest. Many apps are designed to keep children playing as long as possible, so you can set limits all you like and then face the mother of all tantrums/battles whenever you try and enforce them.

Tech here is not free use. We look after them and hand them out if they want them and we think they can have them. Nice to think you can delegate everything to an app, but it’s not that easy.

We've ordered time tokens with a timer which will help with the YouTube addictionin our house 😂😂 he's been on a ban until they arrived and now he is earning tokens for when we get home

I know a family who only allow their kids (5+7) to use their tablets while they sit on the floor in the hallway. Seems to work for them as kids get bored of not being included and naturally reappear in the room after around 20 mins.

Have you created a profile for them each? Then on kindle fire kids it should let you limit by both time per day and the time you can start and stop playing(it can be different at weekends if you choose)
So for example my dc can have an hour a day on the tablet but not an hour before bed and not until 8.30 am

Following this with interest. I'd like to trial some kind of timer or tokens. 'Cos, you know, I'm a really shit and laZy parent

Seriously though, I'd rather the kids raged at an inanimate object closing them down instead of being pissed off at me.

We use the OurPact app for our kids iPads to limit usage to certain times. We also let them "earn" extra iPad time with chores etc.

We use FamilyTime, it works well.

High cupboard, talk about it, have times when it's ok.
Simple right?
Let your kids see you making the rules and enforcing them rather than have them controlled by "the machine"which will train them that they should be on there as much as possible until it stops them