While balancing the 3 ‘C’s of choices, chances and changes…
life as a parent has always had its own particular Challenges…
but with ‘screens everywhere’, families now face a raft of new Concerns.
For example, the old-fashioned solutions (basic timers, marble jars, overseeing them at the kitchen table, etc.) are defunct in a world where parents are working full time, multiple children have multiple devices, and both Wi-Fi and 3G/4G access are the norm.
If this is news to you, then check out our previous posts about the common challenges and frustrations parents face when it comes to tackling their kid’s screen time…
and why traditional parenting approaches to taming screen time simply don’t cut it.
We don’t give it much thought – because we know the structures are in place.
Now, most of us appreciate the physical structure of a bridge strong enough to ensure safety and avoid collapse.
But think about the organisational structure needed for bridges to work. Bridges play a critical part of a global transport system…
that takes the hugely complex requirements of getting people and goods from A to B…
and turns it into a reliable part of our everyday routines.
We know the structures are there – so we can just get on with our lives.
Just like a good screen time solution.
-Schedules for structure
“When it comes to managing the most challenging parts of your day, like mornings, meals, bedtimes and after school – routines are your best friends. Kids thrive on them – and they make everything run a whole lot smoother.”
When it comes to screen time limits, most families start with a Schedule.
The structure set by these schedules are at the heart of any screen time solution.
It’s where you start screen time routines – how many hours of screen time they are permitted each day – and the hours when screen time is available.
You need structure to make sure kids consistently eat well, do homework, get enough sleep, and to ‘make sure everything runs a whole lot smoother’.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions give you a basic out-of-the box schedule to easily set sensible time limits from the start.
– Flexible routines
The strongest bridges in the world have to be flexible enough to survive.
Because structures – particularly big structures – HAVE to be flexible.
Bridges flex a little when your car drives over them. They flex even more when a cement truck drives over. They can flex a lot if 3 semis, a dump truck and a cement truck all stop on the bridge at the same time during rush hour. Bridges also have to flex to accommodate thermal expansion. Materials get bigger when they heat up and shrink when they get cold. Lots of areas of the world have earthquakes. Many areas of the world can have very strong winds.
Structures have to be able to move under the influence of all these stresses, otherwise, they would crack and fail catastrophically.
Schedules change…sometimes daily. Wreaking havoc on family routines.
Thus, an effective solution fits your family’s busy schedule, but it has to be easy to adjust on-the-go, and be intuitive enough for every member of the family to use.
Child sick off school? On a sleepover? Family road trip? Public holiday? You want to be able to tailor your screen time rules to suit every situation.
And when you want to get your kid’s attention, the ability to override screen time rules at the touch of a button is a real bonus!
Trust us, nothing gets your kids seated around the dinner table faster than shutting down screen time!
A flexible screen time limits solution grows with your family.
This could be:
New additions to the family.
New devices in the household.
And every parent or guardian – grandparent, aunt/uncle, au pair, babysitter, etc. – should be able to have their own account (at your discretion of course).
And what about shared family devices? You’ll want screen time limits on them too!
…and the average age for a child to get their first smartphone is just 10.3 years.
Ensure your screen time solution can keep up!
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions allow unlimited accounts – all family members can have one – and shared devices.
#2 Makes the Complex Simple
– Ease of Use
Screen time solutions should be intuitive and easy to use, with everyday controls at your fingertips, and the more advanced settings a mere click away.
And because kids don’t need the same functionality as their parents, a separate dashboard designed especially for kids to make their experience their own!
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions have separate dashboards for parents and kids for a better individual experience.
– In the know
You shouldn’t need to constantly check your child’s screen time activity…
…but you don’t want to miss an important activity or achievement.
Perhaps they’ve requested more play time, completed a task that requires approval, or simply need you to unblock a website during study time?
You’ll want to be able to respond to these, even if your kids aren’t with you!
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions provide in-app notifications, so you’re always in the know wherever they go!
– Practical guidance
Screen time solutions may be simple to use, but they still require set up.
And for best results, you’ll want to tailor yours to fit your family schedule.
When doing this for the first time, you’ll likely have a number of question about screen time and how best to limit it. Questions like:
How much screen time should my child have?
What digital media should they be viewing?
Are some activities better than others?
So, in order to get the most from your screen time solution, practical guidance is key.
Why pay all this money if you have to spend more time researching the basics?
Many of us prefer less of the former and more of the latter, especially kids!
But it’s important that your screen time solution differentiates between them.
– Study time
Whether doing a homework assignment or revision, kids need to study.
And when they do, you’ll want them to stay clear of distracting apps, social media or websites that focus their attention away from the task at hand.
But educational apps and websites can be invaluable tools, so using screens for homework assignments or revision often is a given.
Nonetheless, you’ll want them to be able to use their screens to study, safe in the knowledge they are doing just that (and not watching the latest YouTube video).
And you don’t want to have to check up on them every few minutes either.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions have dedicated settings fo study time which lets kids access educational content and apps for homework while blocking non-educational ones!
– Play time
Why do kids LOVE screens (and why do you have such a hard time getting them off)?
Because it’s FUN – apps, chat, forums and social media offer an endless array of entertainment.
Which brings problems.
…it’s endless.
The internet is open to abuse.
During play time, anything goes. Anything except accessing inappropriate or unsafe content on the internet that is (e.g. adult sites, gambling, violence, etc.).
You need to be able to easily limit how much play time your kids have on their screens…as well as block unacceptable content.
And it shouldn’t matter what screen there on.
If you child spends more time on the tablet than the pc, it should still be deductible from their daily screen time quota!
Screen time limits are an excellent bargaining tool.
You’ll be amazed what kids will do to get their daily Minecraft or YouTube fix.
So, why not leverage the power of screens to get your kids to pull their weight!
But you’ll want to offer them something to help sweeten the deal.
And that’s where bonus screen time and other rewards come in.
– Encourage good habits
Whether it’s brushing their teeth or laying the table, every child has daily tasks.
Some are all about routine – like getting ready for school or doing homework.
Others help your child lend a hand around the home – like tidying their room.
And with practice and consistency, daily tasks become good habits!
Some tasks are so important they must be done before anything else.
While others may occur at different times, or reoccur on a daily or weekly basis.
But screen time often gets in the way. While other times, kids just forget!
What To LookFor: Effective screen time solutions let you set your kid’s tasks and remind them when they are due. And really important tasks can require parent approval, or block screen time until done.
– Inspires with rewards & privileges
Rewards help motivate and inspire your kids.
They provide positive reinforcement for good behaviour while teaching your kids about delayed gratification and earning through doing.
Or you may prefer to reframe rewards as privileges to be earned.
And begin to address the sneaky creep of entitlement.
Whether you think in terms of rewards or privileges, bonus screen time just so happens to be one of the most sought after prizes for kids!
Combining screen time, tasks and rewards make for a powerful screen time solution. One that really encourages your kids to make full use of it!
But how do they earn rewards and privileges? By doing the tasks you set them!
Screen time solutions which automate tasks and rewards allow your kids to earn points by completing tasks. And these points can be saved or redeemed for Bonus screen time or off-screen rewards by your child.
The more tasks they do, the closer they get to earning their privileges.
Most kids are motivated to earn certain privileges – and they don’t have to be large or involve money.
You can reward your children by:
Spending time with them doing an activity they enjoy.
What’s the point in limiting screen time if you don’t know how much time your kids spend on screens?
Or what they get up to when they’re on them?
This information is absolute gold-dust when fine-tuning your screen time solution…
…or tracking progress and shared wins on your journey to screen time success.
You don’t need to check it every day, but you’ll want to have this knowledge to hand when you need it.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions show you how much screen time your kids use, and what they get up to while on their screens.
#6 Value for Money
Screen time limits solutions vary in price from free-of-charge point-based solutions to integrated solutions with a monthly or annual subscription.
– Fits every budget
Solutions with a monthly or annual subscription usually offer several different price plans ranging from $3-$15.
The more expensive the price plan, the more comprehensive its features and/or the more accounts or devices you can manage.
Many price plans place upper limits on the number of accounts (users) or devices they can manage.
If you need to manage more accounts or devices then permitted under your current price plan, you will need to upgrade your plan.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions offer varied price plans to suit different budgets and needs.
– Free trial
Screen time solutions with a monthly or annual subscription usually have a free trial, typically lasting 14-28 days in duration.
These provide full functionality with no locked-down features.
A free trial allows you to ‘try before your buy’. But once the trial ends, you may be automatically billed, or the solution may cease functioning until you subscribe.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions offer a no obligation free trial so you can ‘try before you buy’!
– Upfront costs
Hardware solutions frequently charge a one-off purchase fee in addition to a subscription (you may also need to pay postage and packaging).
As such, hardware based solutions are often more expensive than their software counterparts.
Some hardware solutions now offer a money back guarantee, typically lasting 30-60 days from purchase.
However, you will need to contact customer service and often pay return postage and packaging costs in order to get a full refund.
What To Look For: Effective screen time solutions with upfront fees offer a full money back guarantee should you find it wanting.
So let’s recap. Below are the 6 essential selection criteria to consider when choosing a screen time solution:
Provides the flexible structure to fit your family.
Makes the complex simple.
Balances work and play throughout the day.
Inspires and rewards good habits.
Keeps your kids safe.
Delivers value for money.
Does yours stack up?
In our next post we’ll look at the subtle – but BIG differences – between types of screen time solutions.
