What kind of limits do you have in place? I appreciate the educational value some apps have (especially vs. TV time). But the times DS has gotten to play on a tablet, he FLIPS OUT when we tell him it's time to play something else. For that reason, I very rarely let him use it. We also hardly ever let him have our phones unless extremely desperate. At least with TV, if a show is over it's kind of a natural stopping point, you know?
Anyway, curious to know how you manage this situation.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
My son doesn't understand what 5 more minutes means, but he understands 2 more puzzles, or one more video, as an example.
The big thing with my son is that he wants to be in control, so when he exits the app, he also wants to press the home button and put the tablet away when it's time to finish up...we learned that the hard way.
blogger / coconut / 8306 posts
Chloe isn't allowed to use the ipad throughout the day. Instead, we let her have it on our bed before naps and before bedtime. It's a set amount of time, usually a half hour before we tuck her in.
We're vocal about the time she gets on it. I'll say, "Okay, Chloe, it's 7:15 right now. At 7:45, we're going to read Lorax!", and then I keep an eye on the clock and give her a 15 minute, 10 minute and 5 minute warning.
Works. Every. Time.
We used to tell her "when this is over, we're going to bed" but she sure showed us. She figured if she switched to another show her when this was over time restarted.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Have you thought about just setting a house timer? We have used the timer on our oven for things like this and that way when the timer goes off she knows her time is up.
grapefruit / 4136 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: I can't remember how old your LO is but could you use a kitchen timer so there's a clear time? J is like this as well, we just try to redirect him quickly.
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
We tell D1 "Two more shows" and then "Okay, one more, which one?" and then when that one ends, I tell her that it's time to "fix the batteries"...She goes and plugs it in and I tell her that it needs to be fixed until "tomorrow/after her nap/after lunch" (whatever time).
blogger / coconut / 8306 posts
There should be an auto-timer on the iPad just like there was on AOL. When my hour was up, AOL would disconnect! 
honeydew / 7687 posts
Surely there are apps that shut it off after a certain time? LO isn't old enough to use one, so I'm just guessing though!
pineapple / 12234 posts
It's one of the rewards on his reward chart...we give him 20 minutes if he completes 5 of the tasks and if he complains that it's not enough time, we tell him he can have it the next day when his tasks are completed.
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
We tell her "ok, in x min, we're going to turn it off and do xyz" and then we set the timer on the phone. We remind her a couple times in that time period and that seems to ease the transition.
bananas / 9227 posts
DD's the same way. She goes nuts when I take the iPad away, so I've been weaning her off of it. She knows I keep it in the closet now and points for it, but I let her whine. We only bring it out when it's 4am and she's awake and whiney. It's hard for me because it means I can't have the iPad during the day until she naps!
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
@looch: Yes, DS is big on control lately. "My turn! I do it!" Etc. That might help.
@Mrs. Jump Rope: Definitely do those types of warnings when we're doing TV, and he definitely knows that just one book means ONE (at least with me -- probably not with DH, ha). We generally don't give him warnings in minutes because I don't think he really gets what 5 minutes is unless he has a visual cue, kind of like @looch says.
@T.H.O.U.: A timer is a good idea! I might try that. Although sometimes I may just need to keep him quiet if I'm putting the baby down or something. I guess that's a natural end point, too.
@babyjmama: He's 2.5 and does seem to be getting better about things like this, so maybe I'm more concerned than I need to be, hopefully?
@Rubies: I think I'm not as concerned with shows ... more apps that he can play over and over that don't have as clear of an "end." I like the fixing batteries angle, though. I can't tell you how many times I've told him "X toy has to sleep." Ha.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
@Mrs. Jump Rope: I know! I think the Kindle has this, but iPad apps are so much better.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: The iPad comes with a timer too that can make a sound at least after a certain amount of time.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
@HLK208: How old is your LO? I think he needs a little more time to get the concept of a full-blown reward chart. Although his dad (a law prof) just taught him "quid pro quo," ha. Now he runs around saying, "You change my diaper, I change your diaper!"
blogger / nectarine / 2608 posts
We use an app called "Activity Timer" for Ellie for all sorts of things. We sometimes use it for Lorelei, as well. It is a timer, and will give alert tones at programmed intervals, and change from green, to yellow, to red to let you know when your time is up. Do you think something like that might work for him? Lorelei understands it, but we use it for things like an art project if we need to run an errand at a certain time and will have to stop before she might want to be done.
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
@T.H.O.U.: Good point. Maybe I can set it for one of the more distinct sounds and tell him that's when it's time for the iPad to sleep or something.
Good suggestions, all, thanks!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
@Mrs. Jump Rope: Hahaha I remember those days! Or I simply could not get online until late at night because I'd use the house phone line 
blogger / coconut / 8306 posts
@snowjewelz: My mom had a second phone line in the house for her business, and she put a busy tone on it at night. I have no idea how she did it, but it was to prevent the modem from dialing up after 9pm.
I discovered that if I took the phone off the hook it would get a dial tone after 1 minute... I used to run from the kitchen back to the computer to log on AOL, then back into the kitchen to hang up the phone.
LOL I was desperate.
pomegranate / 3383 posts
We basically use all of the suggestions pp have mentioned:
-lots of verbal warnings (one more show! one more game!)
-we have him say 'bye bye' to the game or show
-we tell him what activity he's transitioning to next so it's not just like iPad time is over for no good reason
-we bribe him with a snack..
kiwi / 548 posts
I think it's just a maturity thing, which my 2.5 year old couldn't grasp. We ended up just putting it away because I was sick of the fights. Now he knows he gets it for long car rides, but after a week or so he just stopped asking for it at home. It probably helped that it was around xmas time and he had lots of new toys. I tried the we need to "fix the batteries", but my 2,5 year old now will go get his stool to reach the drawer where we keep the batteries and small screw drivers. Not something I want to encourage!
grapefruit / 4110 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: my son is 2 1/2 as well and gets a lot of screen time (though I am a big screen user so it's my fault and I'm okay with it). We let him be more in control of ending it. Taking it away just ends up in a power struggle (though it still has to happen occasionally). So we ask him to pause his show if he needs to go potty or feed the dogs and can continue. We ask him to turn it off when it is time up.
He still throws a fit and we just ignore him. If he cries too much he can process his emotions in his bedroom (he hates that).
grapefruit / 4120 posts
We got our son a Nabi for his third birthday and its battery life is not so great. If it were mine, I'd be annoyed, but it's sort of a blessing that it conks out on its own after awhile LOL. I think part of the problem is his need to constantly turn it off and on again instead of returning to the home screen.
We have the same problem with putting down electronics in general, so I agree with the warnings (5 more minutes, 2 more minutes) and also it helps to have something else to distract, like dinner!
pineapple / 12234 posts
@Mrs. Yoyo: haha! I have two, E is 19 months and she just gets a reward chart for fun but she loves the attention when she does something good (and loves big stickers to put on it). B, is 4 and we started the reward chart at 2.5 in order to get iPad time. We have other rewards too!
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