Screentime… it’s a constant battle, isn’t it? We try to limit it with our kids, and we all know we should also try and limit it more for ourselves. We’ve always created a few no-screentime rules to cut it down while creating opportunities for discussions and other things.
For example, there is no screentime in the car unless we’re going on a trip that’s 2+ hours. When we’re running errands or driving to Ottawa to see my family, we do things on a car ride that don’t involve a screen: read, talk, look out the window. The car is our own little bubble, and it has become one of the places my son and I have some of our deepest conversations.
We don’t bring screens to appointments. If we have to wait, we wait. And if we want to pass the time, we can play silly “would you rather” games instead of ignoring one another and becoming absorbed in our devices.
We don’t tote around our screens on errands. If he’s bored while grocery shopping, I give him half the list. We play I spy. We read labels. We find ways to amuse ourselves.
Don’t get me wrong: my kid still gets a lot of screentime (more than I’d like to admit). But I feel like screentime isn’t all or nothing- it’s about balance. My son loves reading, he plays competitive hockey and does other sports in the summertime, he loves to draw, and we keep him busy with playdates. But he also loves watching YouTube videos and playing Roblox. And that’s okay. As long as it isn’t too consuming and it isn’t the only way he can be content, quiet, or entertained.
A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.