Tips for starting screen time structure.
[3yo & 6yo]
My wife and I have decided that the 24/7 screen time needs to stop. The kids are good, no tantrums or anything like that. But they both have poor attention span and communication skills. From the moment they wake up, they have the TV remote. No tablets/portables. At first, we saw no harm in it. I work, my wife goes to school, and the kids sit in the floor and watch a low budget CGI dump truck sing colors, numbers, and the alphabet to them. Not sure what triggered it, but we want to change it.
So we are looking for some tips.
Immediately, my first question; do we like “ween” them down? Maybe limit them to 6 hours a day for a week? Or go straight to 1 hour a day?
Secondly, what structure do you use? Is it a reward? An allowance? “You get X hour per day, use it wisely”? Or “Good job cleaning your room, you’ve earned an hour”?
They’ve always gone to bed with a movie or documentary on that me or my wife picks. Something classic like “Homeward bound” or an animal documentary on Disney. Should we stop doing that too?
My wife takes them for 30-60 minute car rides several times a week running errands, and there is a TV in her minivan that they normally watch. Should that be free? Or cost them their time?
Is music the same as screen time? The kids like making Alexa play various pop songs.
I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and ideas!
Attn: to everyone freaking out over the “6 hours a day”, it was just a random number. I’m asking for ideas, not giving you options to pick from.