Essential Guide to Screen Time Solutions for Tech-Shy Parents

“It’s not that we use technology, we live technology.”

– Godfrey Reggio

If you’re serious about tackling your kid’s screen time, then a screen time solution will save your sanity. Why?

Firstly, knowing how to best handle tech is newly charted territory for many families. Many caring parents struggle to limit screen time and teach their kids good digital habits amid the increasing pressures of everyday life and the dizzying pace of technological change.

And secondly, not only do the best screen time solutions tackle screen time, but they provide peace-of-mind when your kids are online, keep track of how your kids spend their screen time, and help remedy other parenting pain points like homework and chore wars.

But there are a baffling array of screen time solutions available.  In fact, choosing a screen time solution can get in the way of using one! This article will help you choose the right screen time solution for your family and introduce the ‘acid test’ checklist for screen time success.

A step-by-step guide

Over the last few posts, we’ve identified the 7 common screen time issues, looked at why traditional parenting techniques struggle with screen time and set out what to look for in a screen time solution. But before you reach for the purse, there is one final consideration. What type of screen time solution works best for your family? Because while all screen time solutions aim to tackle screen time, how they go about doing so varies from one to the next.

Point V’s integrated screen time solutions

Most screen time solutions generally fall  under one of two categories:

Point-based screen time solutions

Point-based screen time solutions usually do only one thing. If it’s a screen time solution, it monitors – and limits – screen time.  If it’s a task or chore app, it lets you automate tasks and chores. They’re not designed to tackle related pain points – like homework hassles or chore wars. For that, you’ll need another app. And they rarely manage more than one device. If your child uses two, you’ll need to set – and monitor –  time limits on each device separately.

And while free or cheap to buy, they lack the functionality of their integrated counterparts. For example, the specification of a typical point-based screen time solution might include:

• Maximum screen time limits on a single device.
• Earliest and latest times a device can be used.
• Basic reporting.

Great for when your child owns just one screen, but not so hot for multi-child households, shared devices (e.g. family tablet), or when your child has more than one device.

Integrated screen time solutions

Integrated screen time solutions tackle multiple pain points. So, if you’re trying to tackle screen time, homework and chores, then you need an integrated screen time solution.

Integrated screen time solutions manage multiple devices – including those you share as a family – which means screen time limits apply across devices. And with all your families devices managed from a single account, there are fewer apps and monthly subscriptions to manage. The specification of a typical integrated screen time solution may include:

• Maximum screen time limits on a single device.
• Earliest and latest times a device can be used.
• Schedules for play time and study time.
• Content filtering.
• App and website blocking.
• Task automation.
• Rewards/incentive mechanisms.
• Detailed reports.

Great for multi-device households who want to end screen time struggles, homework hassles and chores wars without juggling multiple apps – and monthly subscriptions.

Point-based V’s integrated screen time solutions

The table below highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each solution type.

Software apps V’s hardware router-based screen time solutions. Which is best?

Now we’ve explored point-based and integrated screen time solutions, let’s look at delivery. Delivery means how a solution works and what devices it works on:

Software app-based screen time solutions

Software app-based screen time solutions rely on software installed on your child’s device to manage screen time. They take the form of software – an app – installed on your child’s device and don’t rely on hardware to function, meaning no upfront cost and easier setup. And because they aren’t reliant on hardware, they work wherever your kids are!

There are small downsides…

Software app-based screen time solutions won’t work on all internet-enabled devices, which means they can’t limit screen time on game consoles or smart TVs. And when not connected to WiFi, they use data, but only in small quantities (equivalent to reading a few emails a day).

But there are workarounds…

Manufacturers continue to drive down the data requirements of their solutions. And some manufacturers let you manually add time spent on unsupported devices and deduct this from your child’s daily screen time allowance – perfect for managing games consoles.

Finally, some manufacturers are developing ‘smart plugs’ which communicate with a software app-based screen time solution to limit screen time by switching off power to the display.

Hardware router-based screen time solutions

Hardware router-based screen time solutions rely on hardware – a router. You install the supplied router and reconnect all devices (including smart household appliances), and away you go. In theory, any screen – computer,  console, laptop, tablet, smartphone or smart television –  in range of the router can be managed – including guest devices.

There are downsides…

Set up can be time-consuming and complex; a daunting process for the tech-shy. And hardware router-based screen tune solutions are frequently more expensive, with up-front costs for the hardware in addition to the cost of a monthly or annual subscription.

What’s more, hardware router-based screen time solutions can only limit screen time when devices are in range of the router. When they aren’t – such as at school or around friends – these devices can’t be managed. And they can’t manage devices using mobile data (3G/4G), even when the device is being used at home! For this, you’ll need an additional app.

Software app-based V’s hardware router-based solutions.

The table below highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each solution type.

Hardware router-based screen time solutions + app

Hardware Router-based screen time solutions + app rely on hardware – a router – and software – an app. You install the supplied router, reconnect all devices AND install software on the devices you wish to manage. As such, hardware router-based screen time solutions + app are overly complex for most families. (Akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut).

Most families want a simple solution that can end screen time hassles, homework hassles and chore wars. And with a router AND devices to manage, hardware router-based screen time solutions + app can get complicated. What’s more, they frequently charge an upfront cost in addition to a monthly subscription, making them more expensive.

Almost there…

Compatibility

An important consideration when choosing a screen time solution is compatibility: will it work with the devices in your household? You don’t want to sign up for a screen time solution only to find you can’t limit screen time on a particular device.

There are three platforms of note – Android, Apple iOS and Windows.  Some screen time solutions are also compatible with Amazon Kindle and Apple OS-X/Mac OS operating systems. The more platforms a screen time solution is compatible with, the greater the flexibility when it comes to upgrading devices in the future. So be sure to choose a screen time solution that works on Android, Apple iOS and Windows.

Customer service

Good customer service isn’t desirable. It’s essential!

Imagine you’ve just bought your shiny new screen time solution. You’re excited and anxious to get started, but you don’t know where to begin. You want a friendly voice at the end of the phone to help you on your way. Someone who doesn’t just know their product inside out, but screen time and related parenting problems. Because sometimes it’s just good to talk.

That’s the difference between customer support and customer service! Those solutions that make it easy to get in touch are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. And exclusive communities, online user guides and FAQ’s are great features to look out for too!

Bringing it all together – the acid test checklist

Let’s wrap up by taking a look at everything we’ve covered in this article. To recap:

1. Consider whether a point or integrated screen time solution will meet your families specific pain points.
2. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of a software app-based versus hardware router-based screen time solution (+ app).

Whatever your route to screen time sanity, look for screen time solution that covers as many of the essential criteria in the checklist opposite. Those ‘must have’ criteria are numbered 1 to 6 in our checklist.

But if you’re serious about tackling screen time, you’ll want to tackle those all-important parenting pain points too – such as chore wars and homework hassles. So, if homework, chores and other behaviours are an issue, it’s well worth considering numbers 7 to 10 on the checklist.

Have you tried Habyts?

Here at Habyts, we make no excuses that we favour screen time solutions over traditional tools and techniques. They take the nagging, cajoling and hassle out of screen time – and other daily challenges. The best screen time solutions monitor screen time across multiple devices – meaning one hour really is one hour – all from a single app. And they differentiate between play and study time, employ safe browsing, and enable you to set your kids’ tasks.

OUR HONEST BIAS: If you don’t have a screen time solution yet,  give Habyts a try!