How to agree on screen time with your child
Updated:
A rule your child helped create is followed far more willingly than a ban from above. So instead of daily arguments, sit down together once and write a family agreement.
🎬 Video: Tasks that earn time
What to put in it
- How much time on school days and on weekends.
- When not to: during homework, meals and the hour before bed.
- What doesn't count: for example, schoolwork is separate from games.
- How to earn more: sports, reading, chores — and how many minutes for what.
- What happens when time is up: the computer closes, no “five more minutes” bargaining.
- Rules for adults too: parents put their phones away at dinner as well — that's fair.
Printable agreement template → fill it in together and sign.
How to have the conversation
- Start with a question, not an accusation: “How much do you think is reasonable?” The answer is often closer to yours than you'd expect.
- Talk about why: sleep, school, friends, sport — not “because I said so”.
- Write it down and put it where everyone can see. Review it together in a month.
- Be consistent. A rule that holds only “sometimes” doesn't work.
How child-time helps keep the deal
The hardest part of any agreement is enforcing it every day. child-time takes that over and keeps the rules visible to your child:
- a daily limit and bedtime hours, with a timer on the child's screen and warnings before time runs out;
- tasks that earn minutes: you create them in the dashboard, the child marks them done, you approve;
- “more time” requests come to you in chat — you decide, without arguing at the computer;
- everything is open: the child sees the same rules you do.