This is an interesting read about a new study where 2 minute warnings actually make transitions harder for kiddos to turn off screen time (and other activities). I've always found this to be true for my oldest, and always thought she was an outlier--but maybe she's pretty typical in that 2 or 5 minute warnings make transitions harder for her.
How are your kids? If you use warnings now, does this article make you more likely to try NOT giving a warning?
pineapple / 12566 posts
Warnings seem to be positive for us. I don't usually give a 2 minute warning for screen time but more like, when this episode is over, you have to turn it off. They rarely put up a fight about it.
I also give warnings at the park, 5 more minutes, 2 more minutes, and that usually seems to work well too.
cantaloupe / 6885 posts
I set a timer for 2 minutes and when she hears the bell she is really good at transitioning to whatever we need to do. I'm amazed how well it works haha
squash / 13208 posts
Warnings work very well for my kids - If I just shut off the TV or said "Its time to go" there would be tantrums
pomelo / 5573 posts
It works really well for my son - if we just do something without a warning he freaks out. With tv we do the same as Lamariniere - the end of the episode. But telling him he has one minute has worked so well that he now tells us he needs one minute all the time - apparently at daycare last week they woke him up from his nap and he put up a finger, said "I need one minute!" and rolled over and closed his eyes.
grapefruit / 4321 posts
Warnings are great for my kid. Though I feel like the word "warning" has a negative connotation. It's really more like a "head's up" so she's not surprised.
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
We definitely have to use warnings. I also use the line "would you like to put it away or should I" which shifts the control back to him and almost always works.
grapefruit / 4800 posts
They're effective for us, my kids like knowing the plan. I glanced over the study and it seemed like they said that almost all the parents gave a warning of some kind but kids were less upset when the show ended then when parents interrupted and turned it off in the middle of a show. That seems a bit different of a question than are warnings effective, and do kids transition better if they reach a good stopping point in an activity.
honeydew / 7230 posts
We have tried doing this and it has made no difference. My kids might be too young? They have no concept of two or five minutes so I guess it just doesn't sink in. What helps us with transitions is saying bye bye to things. They are really into this and it works amazing for us. So if I'm turning off the tv, it's bye bye show. Time to stop brushing teeth (which is a battle because they love it) bye bye tooth brush. Bye bye bath toys, bye bye books at the library, bye bye rocks outside, bye bye bikes. It's the only way I get two 2 year olds to do anything in public without a fight.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I tell my son things that are more tangible, such as finishing watching this video, one more round, etc.
Time based warning and timers don't work for us.
pomegranate / 3895 posts
@twodoghouse: I definitely think it's age thing - they have no concept of time. We do the "bye bye" thing as well. Although now he's caught on and if he doesn't feel like giving up what we are saying goodbye to he will say "Bye Mama!" and give me a kiss. Stinker.
I like the idea of setting hard limits like "5 more minutes and then we are done." I even do it with myself. I think with TV / screen time, natural endings (such as the end of a show) are easier.
pomegranate / 3595 posts
@twodoghouse: at that age we did more understandable limits, so instead of time we would say at the park "it's almost time to go. 5 more pushes on the swing and then we will leave. Let's count." That worked well and sounds similar to what you described. Also at 4, LO1 still says bye bye to the water to get out of the tub!
eggplant / 11824 posts
Warnings work well with us, but I try to make them ones LO will understand, since “2 minutes” means really nothing to her. She has nothing concrete to tie that time concept to at this point.
We use the end of show rule like many previous posters, or “at the commercial break” if it’s something like commercials.
If she is playing with my phone on the way in to school, I tell her when we turn onto the campus for my work/her school and remind her to wrap up because she will be giving me my phone back shortly.
With other things we count down or I give a concrete count-based warning, i.e., three more times on the slide and then we are leaving.
pomelo / 5866 posts
2 minute warnings are great for LO! The tv is a little more difficult. Better to let them watch a whole show and then shut off when there is closure or don't start it in the first place. Getting interrupted mid-plot is just wrong! If it is on the computer and I reassure her and show her I will pause it and let her get back to the same spot, she is good with that. But just turning it off mid show with a warning is just not a nice sight to see.
nectarine / 2641 posts
I've definitely seen this with some kids, but warnings are important to my son. I also include the phrase "in two minutes, it will be time to go, and when I say time to go, you'll say 'ok'." It works 99% of the time, and he just says okay and does it.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
DD doesn't have any concept of time, so I usually give a limit that she understands (e.g., you may watch 2 more nursery rhymes). It's hit or miss depending on her mood, I mostly do it out of respect to her, not to necessarily make it an easier transition. What I find more effective is giving her the choice of how to end screen time - would you like to turn the Tv off or should mommy do it?
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
They used to help with things like leaving the park, but lately she asks me to set the timer on my phone (fine) then as soon as the alarm goes off, she starts yelling and crying, before I even tell her we are leaving. So, not really working so well for us at this point.
Shows we pretty much always have to watch the entire thing, or be leaving for something super fun. Turning it off in the middle is a surefire way to have a tantrum so I never put it on unless she can watch the entire half hour.
honeydew / 7504 posts
@catomd00: Same - I can't use time, unless I'm setting a timer. But yes, they work for us!
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