How much screen time/ tv time do your kids get a day on weekdays?

Anonymous
10 yo— usually none, unless you count her looking at what others are watching on TV occasionally (eg, news or sports). There’s no rule, but when she’s home she’s usually playing outside or in her room or reading a book or doing an art project. Doesn’t ask for screens.

High school kid— well, he has a phone, so obviously more than zero. Plus he often watches 30-60 min of TV a night. But he’s usually at sports or activities or doing homework with most of his weekday free time, so it’s not excessive.
Anonymous
None. Ages 5 and 9.
Anonymous
For my 8 yr old, none. For my 13 yr old, I don’t have a limit, but he has activities after school every day, and homework to complete, once that is done, he can do whatever on his computer, but I will tell him to find something else to do if it seems like it has been too long. He is pretty productive in general though.

My 15 yr old, I mostly let him manage. He’s very busy after school and has tons of homework. He does need reminders to get off games and finish homework so I monitor that way to make sure progress is happening. But not a time limit per se. For both teens, they don’t use social media or snap, the 13 yr old doesn’t have phone and after 9:30, anything not essential to homework gets shut off or put in my room.
Anonymous
3 kids, ages 8-12, school starts pretty early and somebody has practice or a lesson most evenings, so basically no TV.

We theoretically do movie night once a week but honestly even fitting that in is often too much.

12 year old uses her laptop a lot for homework, but there's also some chatting with friends in there. Maybe an hour a day?
Anonymous
No screens between 5pm and 8pm on school nights unless it’s needed for homework. Kids are 10, 12, 15 & 16. As they’ve gotten older, they watch more of the shows and play video games that DH and I like, so this is directed at us as much as the kids.
Anonymous
None? Or I guess I should say very occasional educational use of screen time. Yesterday we watched a couple YouTube videos about how to do violin exercises.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Zero. It used to be one to two hours everyday two years ago. I was surprised how easy it was to get rid of it. They read books and draw and hang out now.


I wish more people would do this for preschool through 3rd or 4th grade. Mine is content without screens, but the minute a friend comes over that friend is bored and begs for iPad time, or tv, or video games.
Anonymous
1 kid, 5. We used to allow one 30 min show or a few 8 minute episodes (Bluey, etc) per day, but then I realized how much screen time she was getting during the school day *at school*. Now it's zero Mon-Thurs, but pretty lax on the weekends as long as she also gets out of the house for a couple of hours and isn't glued to a TV or tablet all day.
Anonymous
30 mins in the morning right when they wake up before it’s time to get ready for school (they wake up around 7 and school doesn’t start til 9:30 and we live 2 blocks from school so don’t leave til 9:15…so they have lots of time) and 30 mins after school or after activities if they have an activity that day.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:30 mins in the morning right when they wake up before it’s time to get ready for school (they wake up around 7 and school doesn’t start til 9:30 and we live 2 blocks from school so don’t leave til 9:15…so they have lots of time) and 30 mins after school or after activities if they have an activity that day.


Oh yeah they are 9 and 7. My 7 year old mostly plays games or watches Bluey on her iPad for her screen time. My 9 year old mostly plays the Nintendo switch for his screen time.
Anonymous
Kids 10 and 14. Unlimited screentime, but we are teaching them how to be intentional about the use.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:None monday to Thursday for a 9 year old. Just makes our weekdays easier and more balanced and gives us plenty of time for activities, family time, meals, chores, errands, etc. With free time he plays games, reads, goes outside.

A few hours each weekend day though.


+1
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:1 kid, 5. We used to allow one 30 min show or a few 8 minute episodes (Bluey, etc) per day, but then I realized how much screen time she was getting during the school day *at school*. Now it's zero Mon-Thurs, but pretty lax on the weekends as long as she also gets out of the house for a couple of hours and isn't glued to a TV or tablet all day.


I think this is key. We moved schools this year, and went from a place where the kids had iPads strating in kinder and I felt like they were on screens all day--they even used iPads in music class!--to a school that only uses screens for something like MAP testing. Otherwise, there are no personal screens in the classrooms. Last two years DS begged endlessly to have his own iPad and asking to watch TV frequently. We've noticed a significant shift since changing schools. He's no longer asking for an iPad or other tablet, he is much better at entertaining himself by reading, doing legos, or playing independently, and as a nice bonus, his handwriting has improved dramatically.
Anonymous
Zero. My kids read or play when they don’t have activities or homework. I don’t get the comments about needing downtime. Can’t they read or play during their downtime? I read to the kids most nights before bed even though the older can read. That’s her downtime I guess.
Anonymous
3 YO and probably average 30 min every other day.
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