I am looking for ideas for what other parents are doing for screen time limits for their children.
We have 2 children DD (10) and DS (7) who have active lives and hobbies.
Both children are part of sporting teams that train once in the week and have matches at the weekend and then both have swimming lessons and one dance club (DD) and one board games club (DS).
Both kids are very sociable and have lots of friends and love playing on the park and in holiday clubs etc with friends.
We are active and busy and often on the beach, in the countryside or doing sports and events spending time as a family.
We eat out regularly with them and this is great (without screens) and have at least 2 sit down long family dinners round the table Monday-Friday and with other family members (without screens).
Mealtime - We only let them have screens at the end of a long meal on holiday if it’s been excessive travelling or very long meal. This is rare.
TV isn’t on in the background at home very much. We watch boxsets when they go to bed usually. We can be on our phones sometimes though.
DD will play on Roblox with her friends, has a phone and WhatsApp that we police and will watch videos about hair and makeup/music etc but not excessively and would rather do things with family or face to face or active - walks/play in garden/craft and play.
So far a balance we are happy with. We aren’t gamers but love culture, films, tv series, documentaries, podcasts and music and we do see value in tech etc.
We thought DS7 would follow a similar pattern and would find it as easy to self regulate. This hasn’t happened.
He will watch and enjoy a film at the cinema so can concentrate for that length of time.
But he would choose to spend every spare moment at home on you tube style games. Geometry dash, Roblox pet simulator or watching videos about them.
I would love some feedback on what has worked best in other families who see the value of technology but want their kids to have some other downtime. Reading/crafting etc.
If taken to the beach he can fiddle with a bucket and spade for hours and playing in water/chase with the family so he doesn’t get bored easily.
I’m sure the answer is just to take the IPAD away. I would just love some advice as I know his classmates are on these devices but I’m interested in for how long 😀