We do something similar and cap the time on screens. Also, if the kids start showing signs of wanting screens too much, we refocus them on something else- sometimes for several days or more. When they ask why, we remind them that screens are a tool for us to use, not the other way around-- and it's time to take a break. In fairness, we do this for anything they get overly attached to that could be harmful in excess.
I hope you're also a role model for this. Do you take multi-day breaks from screens, and take care to avoid wanting screens too much?
I'm spending most of my leisure time in front of a screen. Explaining to my children why it's OK for me and not for them would be the hardest part for me.
I do take breaks from things I start to like too much, yes. Currently that's a few months from alcohol.
Re:YouTube has become the world's nanny
by theshrike79 on Saturday February 04, 2023 @06:43AM
(#34653698)
Yep, you should always be able to take the screen away without causing a nuclear meltdown in the child. If that's not possible - you've got work to do.
Games are more OK in my mind than just passively staring at someone open surprise eggs on Youtube or watching a "let's play" of some game or a "influencer reacts to X" crapfest.
Thus we have a separate more generous screen time set for games and another for passive video watching. Now my kid is playing Pokemon Violet/Scarlet with their friend using a WhatsApp video call for communication, all good in my book. I showed them PokedDB and they spend time reading stuff about Pokemon in there while gaming :)