How to cut down on screen time for kids without temper tantrums

Cutting down on the amount of screen time our kids have can be hard. But I’m giving you 5 tips to help make the transition from screen time overload to an appropriate amount of screen time each day.

For reference, babies up to 2 years old should only have screen time to FaceTime/video call relatives so they can see them and talk to them in real-time. Children 2-5 years old should only have 1 hour of screen time per day.

If your kids are anything like mine, they turn into zombies when they’re watching TV. Not only is it bad for them to watch TV for endless hours a day, but it drives me nuts!

Why is screen time so bad?

1. Kids thrive on socialization and learning through play! If they’re just sitting around watching TV and playing video games all day, they’re not learning.
2. Too much TV puts a strain on the eyes and body.
3. Children are not engaging in conversations, which helps build their language skills.

5 Tips to help turn off the SCREENS!

1. Set rules and expectation. No screens in bedrooms or during meals. Screens should be used in a common area of the house where parents and caregivers can monitor what the children are doing.
2. Set timers for device allowance. When the timer goes off, it’s time to get up and move! Give reminders and warnings when you know the timer will be going off soon.
3. Encourage family movie night. This is a great time to be together and also have screen time.
4. Put PASSWORDS on your devices AND DON’T SHARE THE PASSWORD WITH THE KIDS!
5. When time is up on the devices, plan something FUN for after screen time. Give your child something exciting to look forward to so that they’re less likely to have a fit when you say that screen time is done.

You want to make sure your child is not having ANY screen time 1-2 hours before bed. Too much screen time before bed may impact your child’s ability to turn off their brain and get the sleep their body needs to grow and develop.

If cutting screen time is a major struggle for your family, don’t beat yourself up! You can try to cut it down by 30 minutes each week. I try to limit screen time to the hour it takes me to make dinner and clean up the kitchen. Once we’re in a routine, things go MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY. Kids are resilient and they adapt quickly to change. Stay consistent and encourage your child when you see them playing. Tell your child that you love to watch them play and use their creativity.

Another thing that helps me is that I put a “4” on a small post-it note above the clock on my oven. The kids know that they can’t watch TV before 4pm, so if they ask for a show, I tell them to look at the clock and tell me when the 4’s match.

Need more help with this? Send me an email: Missy@slumberandbloom.com