Starting last night, we've told lo that our tv is broken, the iPad is gone, and our phones no longer can get videos.... so I'd love to hear about others' screentime detoxes! For example, did you notice behavior changes, or any changes in things like sleep? What was hardest about it? Was anything surprising about it? And, how long did the detox last--when/did you reincorporate screens, and how?
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I'm curious about this too, although timing isn't great for me to attempt this since I'm newly pregnant. The meltdowns over turning off screens is insane and her ability to play by herself isn't exactly amazing right now.
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We cut it out completely, and then reintroduced it on weekends only and it's worked. I mean, my son still asks for it, but I don't give in like I used to and he accepts it. We also do a timer now, so we ask Alexa to put on a timer for whatever time and when it's over, it's over.
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We have taken it away for at least a month at a time. I'm not sure how old your LO is. We did this at 4. We didn't lie to her about the function of our electronics, just that she was no longer allowed to have them. We also told her that for each time she asked about them that we would extend by another day.
Honestly it was harder on us than her. But it was so worth it for the behavior changes.
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I did it for a few weeks when DS1 was around 2.5. He had become a screen time addict and tantrumed for TV and the phone. I told him the truth - that because he had a hard time when screen time was over, we would not be watching any TV. He asked for it the first few days but then kind of forgot about it. I re-introduced screen time to him with some limitations when I felt like it was under control. (At the time, he was getting a few cartoons right when he woke up so that I could wake up and get breakfast started and get ready for the day....he came to expect it overtime and it totally backfired. Now (2 years later) they never get TV in the morning and during the week only get it at the very end of the day, if ever).
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We've done it in small doses and it goes well. She's eating better (she absolutely won't eat if the TV is on), she behaves much better when she hasn't had TV. It'S honestly harder on me, especially with a newborn in the house and being so tired.
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We are on day 4 of a screen time detox. Our oldest LO has consistently gotten 25-50minutes of tv a day, and Ipad games only on rare occasions (car trips, a weekend when we need her occupied for 30 minutes while we build something from Ikea, etc). But last weekend we had one of those Ikea days and we let her watch a Christmas movie on tv (which was 1.5 hours) and play on the Ipad about an hour and she was a NIGHTMARE for the rest of the day. And then the following Monday she had 2 incidences at school of "not listening". So we took away screen time--not as a punishment, but as a proactive measure to see if her behavior is better.
The first 3 days went surprisingly well. She asked for it, we said no and quickly distracted with other activities she likes--painting, building stuff, getting out her train tracks. But this morning she randomly had a LOOOOOONG tantrum before school about not getting to watch a show or play on the Ipad. We rode it out.
We dont' have an end cap on the detox. I'm really careful about how much she's allowed on a normal basis anyway, but I think for a 3.5 year old even 30-50 minutes a day might be too much. I typically let her watch 1 show while I cook dinner and lately my husband was getting more and more likely to let her watch another show in the morning while he got ready.
The screen time is totally for us parents anyway--it's hard to cook dinner and pack school lunches while you have 2 kids tearing up the house. Yesterday without screen time, I had the 15 month old color on the wall with a marker while simultaneously the 3.5 year old turned on a stove burner for the first time ever--while I was cleaning up the pack of colored pencils they'd strewn under the couch. Those are the moments I wish I could plop them on the couch for some tv. But we all survived, even with no tv.
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You Tube went back to the library. It comes out only if special places have it (like occasional restaurants or the doctors office when I'm trying to focus on the baby's appointment). She still throws fits at times asking for it, but it's much better than before.
I'd have no problem with her watching a little at home, but there are no limits with this kid. It's all or nothing. She has honestly woken up in the middle of the night (half still asleep I think) screaming for it.
I'm solo parenting for the next couple weeks, however, so it might make a comeback depending on how desperate things get.
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OMG you guys, I just spent a really long time replying to all of you and somehow got logged out and now my response is gone! aaaaaaaaaah!
thanks so much, it's so helpful to see how other people have managed cutting screen time. I don't actually mind having *any* screentime, but like some of you said, it seems like it's all or nothing. Lo's only 2.5 and right now setting limits has just been creating huge, unnecessary power struggles every day (unlike wearing her coat now that it's winter, which IS a necessary power struggle, lol). And also like so many of you said, it's only been less than a day but I already see how screentime has been more for us than her--we especially let her watch while making dinner and getting ready in the morning, it's so much harder to be actively playing with her then rather than letting her be distracted by the tv!
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I so need to do this! My older daughter has gotten really spoiled for screen time since I have a 1 month old. She recently had a tantrum because she wanted a "movie song" (aka to watch a Disney song music video) instead of listening to Pandora. Screen time has gotten completely out of hand around here. I have done a "TV Timeout" with her before for a few days and the behavior is drastically better even after just 2-3 days.
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we are on day 4, and I can honestly say so far so good! behavior is improving - it is honestly hardest on me. DH is out of town a couple days this week, so usually I let the TV babysit while I shower, and this morning I just had to find other ways.
** edited to add - day one of this started on a car trip day - nearly 3 hours in the car and no screen time. It actually was no problem, I just had to engage him, play alphabet games, songs, etc..
We are on a detox until christmas vacation- barring a trip this weekend to the mountains with another family, and if they choose to put cartoons on for their daughter, then he will end up getting some screen time.
will try to update in a couple weeks!
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So need to do this! Our 2.5 year old is out of control for YouTube videos but we just bought our kids Amazon fire tablets. We are going to have to set some serious limits!
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We're a minimal screen time family and I just wanted to recommend audiobooks and music cd's to fill the gap left by screens! Our local library has heaps of cool children's cd's to hire and musical soundtracks are neat too
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@Kemma: ooh great idea, thanks!! We don't actually have a cd player but should maybe get a small one (rather than playing it from our phone to a wireless speaker, or via our tv, since those are now connected to shows for lo
), lo loves music and it would be fantastic to transition to that instead!
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I wanted to update this since it's been almost a week since we cut screentime. Honestly, I am shocked by what a positive experience it's been! Lo is so much more cooperative about transitions--especially going to bed: she doesn't fight it as much, and falls asleep quicker and earlier at night. Like, we'll say "5 more minutes until it's time to go read stories in bed," and she'll be like "noooo I'm busy," but then 2 minutes later say "Okay I'm ready for books now"
I think her naps are longer too. She still occasionally asks to watch, but when we say no she quickly asks to play instead. Any tantrums about watching have been really short/she moves on quickly. I've noticed I've yelled/raised my voice WAY less in the last week, so we're both happier! It does require more active play on our parts, which is hard in the mornings when we're getting ready for the day, or at night when prepping dinner, but it's worth it. I think she might also be playing a little more independently too, once she gets into her activity. We had a really sweet family dance party to music last night--usually when dh would turn on music before she'd fuss until we turned on a show instead, so this is much preferable! Also, I think she's being more cuddly--before she got her cuddles in while she was zoning out watching tv (she would insist I sit with her in my lap before too but we'd be cuddling without really paying attention to each other), whereas now we'll be playing and she'll more actively initiate snuggling. All in all, I wish we'd cut screentime earlier!
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@nana87: excellent!!
), lo loves music and it would be fantastic to transition to that instead!
I think her naps are longer too. She still occasionally asks to watch, but when we say no she quickly asks to play instead. Any tantrums about watching have been really short/she moves on quickly. I've noticed I've yelled/raised my voice WAY less in the last week, so we're both happier! It does require more active play on our parts, which is hard in the mornings when we're getting ready for the day, or at night when prepping dinner, but it's worth it. I think she might also be playing a little more independently too, once she gets into her activity. We had a really sweet family dance party to music last night--usually when dh would turn on music before she'd fuss until we turned on a show instead, so this is much preferable! Also, I think she's being more cuddly--before she got her cuddles in while she was zoning out watching tv (she would insist I sit with her in my lap before too but we'd be cuddling without really paying attention to each other), whereas now we'll be playing and she'll more actively initiate snuggling. Reply
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