Screen Time

[AmiMami23]

How do you control and distribute your kids screen time. What are your rules and time limits for it. My 7 and 5 year olds are allowed screen time but I have strict rules for it.

1. No screens in the kitchen or bedroom

2. No screens during family time

3. No screens for at least an hour before bed

4. 1 hour screen time = 1 hour no screens

5. No screens unless chores are finished and veggies and or fruit were eaten during their last meal

6. No screen time if they're fighting/arguing with their siblings

7. No screen time if they are talking back, or not listen to me or their father

My triplets are 3 I try my best to give them less than 2 hours a day, and we’re very good at it, when you have 2 other kids your age in the house there are a lot better things to do than sit on a screen so they don’t fight it.

My LO is 17 months and doesn’t get any screen time unless we’re all watching a family movie, but even then she always ends up asleep before the movie ends.

I have five now grown DCs.

I let them watch TV any time they wanted to, and use the computer. Oldest DD had a TV in her own room from age 11 or so.

Mine loved art, reading, and they played outside a lot. They also loved TV and thanks to access to PBS children's fare and other PBS educational nature, travel, cooking programming (in the US) they learned a lot. They also watched commercial TV on Saturday mornings - kids' programming on one station, and they loved The Simpsons. We had DVDs and video tapes too - we were early subscribers to Netflix and also rented movies from other businesses that got rolled over by Netflix. I bought DVDs and video tapes - memorable ones were Beatrix Potter animated stories with an intro featuring Niamh Cusack, but there were many, many others.

You are sending very, very mixed messages with your complicated schedule of viewing allowances, taking away viewing time for fighting, not listening to parents, etc. I don't know where to start on the bribery with something you obviously think is bad for eating fruit and veg.

Screen time is apparently so bad it has to be rationed, and yet good behaviour results in getting it. Have you sat down and thought this through at all?

I sincerely believe that if you make 'screen time' into forbidden fruit you whet their appetite for it. You also accord it more power than it really has if you treat it so seriously. It's not an alien force invading your home unless you choose to accord it that position.

There is an alternative - watch whatever your DCs are watching and chat about it while it's on and afterwards, the same way you would ask questions and make the odd little comment to see if your DCs are listening or understanding when you're reading a book to them.

And make sure you sit down and read plenty of books to them, talk to them about drawings and paintings they make, and invite them to share their thoughts and feelings on everything they notice and everything you point out to them each day.

Also, choose what they are watching. If you have rubbish like Nickelodeon or Disney available, get rid.

I don't think it's mixed messages. Screen time can be used as a reward/punishment. Exactly the same as any privilege.
Pp said about watching programmes but for mine screen time is more games and watching YouTube rather than specific shows. We watch shows together on the tv. My eldest has a tablet but younger ones don't. They watch tv while older has the tablet.
We have set times rather than rules. They get screens first thing because they are early risers. Then the older one gets screens while I'm putting youngers for naps. (Only about 10/15mins) then again while I'm sorting tea and then maybe after tea depending on how we are all feeling.
You're rules are quite strict but if that's what works for your family then it's fine.

No rules on screen time at the minute as there isn't much else to do. When school holidays over and its back to home schooling they have to do a set amount of work 1st then they can watch/game as much as they want. I've probably watched more tv than ever myself these past few weeks I'm not going to start clock watching how much they have.

If screen time or chocolate or anything else you restrict on grounds that it's not good for you is used as a bribe then you really are sending a mixed message.