Screen time

Early on we co-constructed a loose daily plan for the kids. That lasted a week or so; then the boys wanted more screen time. We said yes but still asked that they spend some time each day away from the screen, doing something else. I know it can be hard to think of what else to do other than stare at a screen (we all have that problem), so I erased the chalkboard where we used to write our weekly calendar (no need for that anymore) and wrote a bunch of prompts for other things to do. Some responsibilities, some things that they find fun when they do them but don’t do spontaneously.

They cheerfully agreed that this was a good system and then entirely ignored it. Every so often I prompted them to check the chalkboard, but the lure of the screen is sooooo strong. Eventually I erased it… it mocked me.

Now they play video games all day except when they are doing something else, which basically means, unless we are doing one of our daily family time things or I otherwise stand over them to do something else. They are reasonably willing to do other things if we stand over them. But I don’t do this most of the time, because I have my own work to do.