I know there is a lot of debate about screen time and whether or not it is healthy for children. How much time should they get? What restrictions should they have? Well, some of you might think I am a terrible mother, but I am not anti-screen time….at all. First of all, I think that generalizing all screen time is negligent. There is plenty out there that isn’t brain melting garbage. There are endless games and apps that spark creativity, inspire imagination and assist with learning. Not only that, but I’m pretty sure kids should be allowed to decompress with their favorite show, just like us.
Now, let’s talk about discipline vs. reward systems. What have you seen success with? I think it largely depends on the personality of the child. That said, a good mix of both is what we choose to do. Of course, like everything in parenting, it’s a lot of trial and error. Grayson does seem to be a kid that responds better to having the goal of a reward rather than changing his behavior because of a punishment, so we integrated a reward system. Since Grayson loves playing on the Amazon Kindle Fire, he works towards being able to download new apps and games through Amazon Underground.
Throughout the week, Grayson gets points for making good choices. I kept it pretty simple. Each weekday, he can earn points for the following categories:
Positive Attitude | 2 points
Respect for Others | 2 points
Good Report from School | 1 point
Completes Responsibilities | 2 points
= 7 points possible per day / 35 points possible per week
Every Friday, we will add the points and determine how many new apps/games he can download like this:
Below 25 | None
25-30 | One download
30-34 | Two downloads
Perfect 35 | Three downloads
The system motivates Grayson to do his best with the incentive of earning something he loves. Amazon Underground has over 3000 FREE apps and games… ACTUALLY free apps and games. You don’t have to worry about your kids downloading something that costs money or that has “hidden” costs in the app. Everything in Amazon Underground is actually free.
It’s available on Android smart phones and Amazon Fire tablets. Learn more about the Amazon Appstore, the Amazon Underground catalog of 100% free apps & games or to get access on your Android smartphone visit HERE.
What have you tried to encourage good choices in your home? How do you feel about screen time?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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