How much time do you allow for electronics?

[126bdays]

We struggle in our house to keep our 3 boys busy and off of the Wii, iPod, and computer. The devices are like magnets that keep pulling them in. We don't have t.v. and only have these electronics. Please share your recommendations for 9 and 11 year old boys. How long is reasonable per day to play on electronics for fun? What are some hobbies/activities to get them involved in at this age, preferably at home? We have plenty of space outside. Do you have a certain structure to your day, i.e. electronics at the end of the day, etc. Thank you for your input!

[mrs.m]

For our family it depends on how hard we worked, the weather, their attitudes, other activities available, maybe a friend is over, I need a break, or just a need for rest and mindless fun. I don't have a set amount of time but I rarely allow them more than an hour at a time without break or encouraging them to find something else to do. They are off limits during school hours, generally before 3:00, even if they have finished their school work. My 11 year likes to build robots and he also programs with Scratch, which is all still electronic related. LOL!!

[KellyMama]

We went with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation of no more than 2 hours per day. No electronics allowed until after schoolwork and chores are completed. It does mean I need to be sure they've always got a good stack of library books to read, Lego to build or make sure I schedule trips to the pool or bowling alley etc in the summer since it's too hot for them to entertain themselves outside for most of June - September in the Deep South ;)

[Maplecat]

My boys are younger than yours, but I'll share what works for us. We do an hour of screen time after lessons are done and the basement is picked up. My guys are now using their time for DS, but X-Box is also a favorite. Usually, they play together, but sometimes my younger son will request a DVR'd show during this time. Many afternoons, the full hour is never redeemed because of other activities.

 

As a family, we usually watch an hour of TV together before the boys go to bed. Weekdays work out great and there is a minimum of screen time requests/whines/demands.

 

On the weekend, the boys can watch TV or play games when they wake up. We've had to set a stay in bed until time (6am) so they don't get too tired. My husband and I like this plan because it gets us an extra hour of sleep. Screen time is then more flexible and depends on our activities and what games their father wants to play with them. We do run into more whining on the weekends.

[Erica in OR]

During the summer we do an hour and a half of screen time per day max. Morning chores must be done before they can use it. The time doesn't carry over from day to day, so they can't save it up. A movie as a family doesn't count. They each have two big plastic cups with those decorative glass gems from the dollar store (like to use in vases); each gem is 10 minutes. When it gets used up for the day, they transfer it to the "used" cup.

 

Other sorts of stuff they do at home are Lego, backyard stuff—our animals, baseball, treehouse, invented games they do together, puzzles, books for the summer reading program, cooking/baking, water balloon fights. Required piano and tae kwon do practice take up some time.

 

Erica in OR

[Farrar]

So much of this depends on your philosophy and where you're coming from.

 

I don't believe in "earning" screen time. I believe screen time can be totally fine and healthy for kids. I do believe in setting aside no screen times and that kids should do any chores and schoolwork first most of the time. But, to put that in context, I think maybe only half a dozen times ever have my kids had to put off screens to finish things they needed to do first.

 

Our guidelines are that recreational screens can start at 5:00 and go until about 7:00. Sometimes they go longer. Sometimes they're shorter or not really at all because we're busy during that window. My boys are 8.5. They play Wii games, iPad games, and watch TV shows.

 

I tend to encourage, but am not dogmatic about, having somewhat less screens when the weather is pleasant and am slightly more lenient about it when the weather is bad.

 

During a few special times of the year, such as around birthday and Christmas, I allow them to overload on screens for a week or so and use them pretty much whenever.

 

We use screens for school sometimes and that doesn't count toward recreational screen time. My kids are also allowed to use screens for creative use whenever they have free time. This currently includes for movie making, for art and for programming in Scratch or Mindstorms.

[SilverMoon]

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Edited September 17, 2023 by SilverMoon

[Mommy22alyns]

The girls watch a little TV while eating breakfast, less than an hour. Then no electronics until the end of school when Rebecca does her Latin and Sylvia does xtramath. 3-4 days a week, Rebecca goes to gymnastics 40 minutes away. She reads or does work in the car on the way there and watches a DVD on her way back. I don't really set exact time restrictions on electronics, I just try to feel it out and shoo them outside or tell them to turn things off and entertain themselves without electronics for a while. They can be so creative and imaginative! For summer, they have Summer Bridge and vocabulary. I made up some index cards with other mostly non-electronic ideas.

[pineapplehorse]

my guys - 7, 9 & 12 - get 1 hour of video game (iphone, iPad, wii, club penguin, whatever they choose) per day per child Mon to Thu and 2 hours per child Fri to Sun. It drives me nuts enforcing it but if I didn't my 7yr old would play video games from the moment his eyes open until the moment they close.

[J9Mommy]

I have an aspie, and he would spend 24/7 on electronics if I let him. Haha. With kids like him, things need to be visual and consistent. I came up with the idea that he ( and his sister) earn tickets for each worksheet/book they do. The max is 5 tickets, which is what they usually earn. Each ticket is then worth 15 minutes. They can use the tickets up until after dinner. After dinner, I prefer no electronics unless I put on a movie for the group to watch ( I have 3 kids ). On the weekends it's free electronic time, but I have the same 'no electronics' after dinner rule. For free time the kids enjoy drawing, drawing, drawing, making movies, and building. We have a lot of tinker toys, Legos, or other open ended 'math type' items. Sorry, about the lack of paragraphs. This website won't let me for some reason...it's weird :/

[amyrobynne]

My 7 and 9 year old boys are allowed 30 min screen time on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (summer and school year). Generally, that screen time can't come before 1:30 (we originally did that so it would line up with naptime). They have one chore a day and they can't have their screen time before they do that chore. On non-school days, they can usually do an extra chore to earn early screen time.

 

They take their screen time (usually they choose to play on the laptop) consecutively, so really, it's an hour.

 

There are other times when they'll watch a TV show with my husband in the evening, but they don't get to choose what to watch or when it's done. This happens more often in the winter when going outside is miserable in MN.

 

I'd guess that they end up with 5 hrs screen time on average in a week. They would gladly spend hours and hours at the computer if we let them.

[amyrobynne]

double post

[happypamama]

During the week, there is no screen time that is not directly educational, except on very special occasions. A specific school-related video, or typing program, yes, and DH will show them the occasional cool clip or trailer, but as a general rule, no. I found that it was so much easier and better for us if I just vetoed all regular screen time during the week. So if they've completed their weekly chores and schoolwork, they will have it for the weekend.

 

As for what else to do, my kids read, write stories, play board/card games, play outside, craft/draw, play with SnapCircuits, build things with Legos, wrestle (the boys), ride bikes, come up with pretend scenarios/games to play. If they complain about being bored, I offer chores to do for me; they either take me up on that (and earn themselves more screen time for the weekend) or they find something productive to do.

[chelsmm]

We have no rules around screen time, but for the most part, we don't do screen time at all. At most, the kids will watch a movie every few weeks. This will change now that school is out and we are home schooling. I work every other Friday night, and I need about two hours in the daytime on those Fridays to nap. I will be giving them screen time then from now on. We don't have cable or video game devices, but we have an ipad with some apps and brain pop and such that they like to use now and then- usually about 30 min max once a week or so. But they were in school until recently, so they weren't home much. THings are likely to change now that they are home.

[Ariston]

We do no computer/ipads on school days--I just find it much easier to have a strict 'no' policy. That way it is basically not an issue at all during the week. Hhowever, we do have TV and sometimes I'll let them watch Wild Kratts or something in Spanish in the evenings. This is not any type of guaranteed time...its just when i feel like putting something on for them. (This happens more often in winter than in summer.)

 

We allow about an hour a day each on Saturday and Sunday for them to play on the ipad or on the computer.

[blessdmommy]

2 hours of electronics are available from 3pm to 5pm only if all schoolwork is completed by that time. I have a 14 and 10 year old boys. Media time includes wii, computer games, etc. Some educational items may be used outside of this time with permission/encouragement (flashmaster, etc.).

[Targhee]

We allow screens after 4:00 IF all schoolwork, chores, and music practicing is done. Some days it's not even on because we are busy outside the house. Rules apply on weekends as well. Softer spending the entire day together it is a way for them to calm down and not have to engage with each other. Usually they are off at dinner time, but Fridays we watch a movie until 9:00 or so.

[weederberries]

Beginning in January, we turned off all movies (we don't have television service) and video games during the week. We use software and apps for learning, but those are closely monitored and brief. We have a family movie night on Friday night. The children are allowed to watch movies and play Wii freely on Saturday as our schedule allows. Typically they'll get 2-3 hours on a lazy Saturday morning and maybe again in the evening, but we usually have plenty planned on a Saturday to keep them busy. They are not allowed electronics before church on Sundays (because it puts them in a foul mood), but can watch and play in the afternoon as our schedule allows. This ensures I get a 2-3 hour Sunday-afternoon nap. :)

 

It has made all the difference in their attitudes and cooperation during the week. We visit the library so frequently now. In cooler weather, they spend 3-4 hours outside playing. I've taught them more cooking and crafts. Occasionally, I find an appropriate video for school lessons and I save it for Friday as an incentive for quick school and chores that day. Now that it's too hot to leave the house past noon, we run errands and play outside in the morning, return home to school work and indoor crafts and fun. Since we've been studying the American Revolution, I've allowed them an episode of Liberty kids in the heat of the afternoon as a reward, but I sometimes regret it. We simply have better attitudes when the option to vegetate is not there.

 

The best times are when we are able to maintain an electronic entertainment free week.

[julie4]

During the regular school year my 10 year old son (the only one interested in video games) gets 1 hour after our co-op on Friday and about an 1 1/2 hours on Saturday. During our light summer months I may add an hour during the week sometimes on a rainy or really hot day. But he needs very specific time slots like this, otherwise he gets sucked in and he's constantly begging for more time. We've been doing this for so long that its no longer an issue, he knows the times/days and its a treat when I add an hour once in a while. This is a little strict but its really the only way it works for him (and me) :)

 

As for TV we watch the occasional show, movie or sporting events as a family.

[Hakg]

1 hour per day (strictly) for DS8, otherwise I'm sure he'd want to spend all day on Minecraft! I also find if he is using electronic devices too close to bedtime, he is too 'wired' to go to bed, and sleeps restlessly all night. All electronic device usage stops around 3pm so it does not interfere with bedtime. I also encourage outdoors during the day, but he is not that interested - not when that xbox or Ipad is sitting there calling out! I do curse these devices often! :laugh: edited to add: I also have a no devices in the car rule to free us of these things.

[126bdays]

Thank you so much for your responses! You have helped us greatly. We will begin this week with 30 min per day after school and chores are completed and see how that goes. Then increase to 1 hour on the weekends. Our children suffer from poor attitudes and laziness when they have too much screen time, which isn't that much, really. However, setting a specific time of day and length of time will help us all keep better track and they will know their own boundaries.

[MeghanL]

We allow screen time after schoolwork & chores on weekdays. Weekends are screen-free. We also take one week off per month of school, those are also screen-free. Basically, if we do school on a particular day, they are allowed screens as a reward for completed tasks. Otherwise, they have to find something else to do.