Image Credit: mothers-meeting.com
Once the limit has been reached, the apps will be blocked.
Then let their daily dose of wholesome, screen-free living commence! Until their next, pre-arranged screen time fix.
What’s more, parents set these time limits from their own device. In other words, the Screen Time app turns parent’s smartphones/tablets into their very own personal remote control for their kids’ mobile devices.
Meaning you can feel like you finally have a handle on your kids’ screen time.
The Daily Limit feature comes hand in hand with a whole array of benefits. Here are 5:
1. Time limits help knock Screen Addiction on the head.
You know the drill. You pick up your phone to quickly check the weather for the day.
Which turns into checking the news headlines.
Then you respond to a text.
Before checking in on Facebook to look at wedding photos of people you don’t know.
Which turns into checking emails…
A full hour of your life – gone in a flash.
This is the behaviour of a full grown adult. Imagine how hard a child must find it to put down their device. Screen addiction is A THING. Which is where Screen Time comes in.
Setting time limits on your kid’s device helps to stop screen addiction from taking over their lives. It takes the decision to switch off out of their hands.
Which isn’t a bad idea for grown ups too.
2. ‘Switch off’ rows become a distant memory
We’ve all been there. A grandparent has come to visit. They’d love to chat with their grandkids however said grandkids are in their screen time bubble, shooting baddies, posting selfies…ignoring Granny.
What is a parent to do?
There is the ingenious Instant Pause button available in an emergency. But before resorting to that, some parents might prefer to do the honourable thing and ASK their child to switch off their device and acknowledge poor Granny.
With Time Limits already discussed and in place, your kids know they can switch off their devices safe in the knowledge they can pick up where they left off later that day. So they’re ok with it.
They’re happy. Granny’s happy. Everyone’s happy 🙂
3. The kids will become Time Management pros
Screen Time was initially invented with the subject of Time Management in mind – a key life skill that comes with practice.
If your loved ones know that they have 30 minutes of screen time left in the bank, they will need to think carefully about how to fit that in around other plans. For example, if they have, say, an art project to complete, they might aim to finish it by 5pm to allow for that precious 30 minutes they have left on their device before dinner.
And remember, kids love a routine. Imagine how happy they’ll be once they become experts at setting their own!
4. Decide on limits together and your kids will feel listened to
Have you ever asked your child how much time they believe they should be allowed on their mobile device each day? Give it a try. You might be surprised at their answer when they’re forced to really think about it.
Throw other offline activities into the mix like a bike ride or baking a cake. Fit screen time in around offline activities rather than the other way round.
Before you know it you and your child will have agreed on a daily screen time allowance and everyone can feel happy that their feelings and needs have been considered. Everybody loves an idea if they feel like it was their own 😉
5. Because we parents need a break sometimes
We at Screen Time are parents too. So we get it – parenting can be a tough gig! Sometimes we need a break. Sometimes we have to work from home because our kids are sick. Sometimes we have a dinner party to prepare or a school costume to make (read: buy online)
Sometimes letting our kids play with their smartphone or tablet is the only way we can get some space to do all of the above! So just increase their time limit for the day using your Screen Time app and enjoy that time to yourself.
Because sometimes that ‘you’ time is just necessary.
If you’re ready to get the most out of the Screen Time app by upgrading to a Premium subscription, click here!
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