Parents, what's your take on our 'screens only on weekends' policy for kids?

Managing Daily Chores for Children
1

Hey fellow parents! I wanted to share our family’s approach to managing screen time for our 6 and 8-year-olds. We recently decided to limit all screens (TV, tablets, phones, etc.) to weekends only.

Here’s how it works:

  • No screens Monday to Thursday
  • Friday evening, after homework and chores, screen time starts
  • Weekends are pretty open, but we can step in if needed
  • Audiobooks are okay on weekdays after tasks are done
  • We make exceptions for family viewing or educational stuff

So far, it’s been great! Less begging, fewer arguments about chores, and the kids still enjoy other activities on weekends.

What do you think? Have you tried something similar? Any other cool ideas for balancing tech and family time? Let’s chat!

2

We tried similar rules. Worked well for a while, but got tough to enforce as the kids got older. Now we focus on setting daily limits and encouraging other activities. Keeps things flexible for us all.

3

Your weekend-only screen policy sounds interesting. We’ve been trying different things too.

Right now we use a token system. My 5-year-old earns tokens for chores and good behavior. They can trade tokens for screen time or other treats.

It’s working okay, but I worry it might backfire long-term. Will my kid only do things for rewards?

I like how your system creates clear expectations. Do your kids ever get upset about no screens on weekdays? How do you handle that?

I’m still figuring this out. Sometimes I feel like I’m just winging it with screen time rules. It’s helpful to hear what’s working for other families.

4

Our family tried a similar weekend-only screen policy for a while. It worked okay at first, but we had to make changes as the kids got older.

Now we use a daily time limit for screens. The kids can choose when to use it after finishing homework and chores. This has been working pretty well for us.

They’re learning to manage their time and make choices about when to use screens. Some days they save it all for after dinner, other days they spread it out.

We’ve noticed they’re spending more time on other activities too. They play outside more and have gotten into board games lately.

Every family is different though. The important thing is finding what fits your situation and being open to adjusting if needed.

5

We experimented with a similar approach last year. It worked well initially, but we found it challenging to maintain long-term. Our kiddo started feeling left out when friends discussed shows or games during the week.

We’ve since shifted to a daily screen time allowance. It’s been interesting to see how our child manages it - sometimes saving it all for after dinner, other times spreading it out. This approach seems to be teaching time management skills too.

Ultimately, we’ve found flexibility is key. What works for one family might not work for another, and it’s okay to adjust as needed.

6

I tried something like that when my kids were younger. It worked okay for a bit, but we ran into issues. My daughter needed to use a computer for school projects during the week. My son got cranky when he couldn’t watch YouTube tutorials for his hobby.

We switched to a daily time limit instead. The kids could choose when to use it, as long as homework and chores were done. It taught them to budget their time. Some days they’d save it all for after dinner, other days they’d spread it out.

The unexpected bonus was less fighting between them. They stopped arguing over who got to use the TV first on weekends. Now they each have their own daily allowance to manage. :mantelpiece_clock:

Every family is different though. The important thing is finding what works for you and being willing to adjust as needed.