If your middle-schooler has limited (or no) screen time during the week

[Anonymous]

what do they do instead (on the nights when they don't have an extra-curricular activity)? If you limit screen time how does this work IRL - i.e. No computer games? No TV? I'm finding the winter to be, as usual, very challenging, and have been letting DS pretty much unrestricted access as long as homework is done, but it does make me uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Read. Listen to music. Stare into space.

[Anonymous]

Draw, talk, chores, play with our pets, help cook, read magazines and books. Just like we did when we were kids. Its not easy, but its worth it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what do they do instead (on the nights when they don't have an extra-curricular activity)? If you limit screen time how does this work IRL - i.e. No computer games? No TV? I'm finding the winter to be, as usual, very challenging, and have been letting DS pretty much unrestricted access as long as homework is done, but it does make me uncomfortable.

My kids are older but our approach is similar to yours. If everything else is done- I don't see a problem with them watching tv or playing video games. I'm curious- What makes you uncomfortable?

[Anonymous]

Exactly, PP. Your son will create things to do that he won't if he can always zone out with tv. My 8th grader is screen free during the week. He winds up reading MAD magazine sometimes, or modifying his air soft rifle motors (every once in a while, we take him to an air soft indoor range. Usually a bunch of 12-19 year old boys in camo there...). My daughter jams on the flute, trying to play Taylor Swift songs. Just cool stuff, advancing their interests, better for their brains than X-Box. Yes, I consider MAD magazine and working on gears for an air-soft rifle, better than looking at a screen.

[Anonymous]

There isn't much time for it. She gets home and we walk the dog. She plays with the dog for a few minutes and then does homework. She usually finishes homework around dinner time. We eat dinner and clear up from dinner. Then it is time for showering and getting ready for bed. She reads for a little while and then goes to bed. Not having any screen time isn't really an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly, PP. Your son will create things to do that he won't if he can always zone out with tv. My 8th grader is screen free during the week. He winds up reading MAD magazine sometimes, or modifying his air soft rifle motors (every once in a while, we take him to an air soft indoor range. Usually a bunch of 12-19 year old boys in camo there...). My daughter jams on the flute, trying to play Taylor Swift songs. Just cool stuff, advancing their interests, better for their brains than X-Box. Yes, I consider MAD magazine and working on gears for an air-soft rifle, better than looking at a screen.

How can you be so sure? I disagree, actually. I don't see much educational value in a lot of that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 8th grader is screen free during the week.

Does this include compter work for school? We have been screen free during week for years (since age 4), but now all my kid's homework is writing online, using google docs, etc. I feel like she is in front of the screen for hours each evening.

[Anonymous]

Air soft-- it requires trouble-shooting, using tools, researching how to alter mechanisms, etc. My husband is very handy and the two of them will discuss topics or sometimes work on stuff together. And then taking your gun to the indoor range and being part of a team trying to get the other guys-- I get that you don't see the value, but I do. It gives them real feedback on how their modifications turned out.

As for MAD magazine, it's a place-holder to keep the reading habit going when he's not in a book. He's not much for reading, but I think he does more because of having recreational, funny reading available, than if he didn't.

I'm sure there are kids with more high-brow interests.

[Anonymous]

Those of you who are screen-free, does that include sports? We don't watch shows during the week, but we would have a tough time with sports. DS likes basketball and football, and we let him watch a game here and there. I don't actually mind that. I just have a hard time justifying to him why sports is different than whatever show he wants to watch daily. Any thoughts? Or am I drawing a line where there doesn't need to be one?

[Anonymous]

I was screen-free growing up, and it was really not an issue. I read, drew, baked cookies, built stuff with Legos, did my chores, etc. I was really never bored. Not having a screen as a crutch means that you learn to entertain yourself.

[Anonymous]

My middle school-er can not be screen free during the week in MoCo because they utilize Google classrooms.

If they have no grades below B they can earn up to 2 hours of free time on the computer AND/OR television - after - daily chores, 1 hour reading, checking Edline and no last assignments.

Cold and can't play outside, tired of your hobbies, we, as a family, play board games. Munkins can go on for days and some nights its only Munkins till bedtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who are screen-free, does that include sports? We don't watch shows during the week, but we would have a tough time with sports. DS likes basketball and football, and we let him watch a game here and there. I don't actually mind that. I just have a hard time justifying to him why sports is different than whatever show he wants to watch daily. Any thoughts? Or am I drawing a line where there doesn't need to be one?

I think you're drawing a line where there doesn't need to be one. Honestly- what is the difference between watching a basketball game or a sitcom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly, PP. Your son will create things to do that he won't if he can always zone out with tv. My 8th grader is screen free during the week. He winds up reading MAD magazine sometimes, or modifying his air soft rifle motors (every once in a while, we take him to an air soft indoor range. Usually a bunch of 12-19 year old boys in camo there...). My daughter jams on the flute, trying to play Taylor Swift songs. Just cool stuff, advancing their interests, better for their brains than X-Box. Yes, I consider MAD magazine and working on gears for an air-soft rifle, better than looking at a screen.

Why? Based on what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you who are screen-free, does that include sports? We don't watch shows during the week, but we would have a tough time with sports. DS likes basketball and football, and we let him watch a game here and there. I don't actually mind that. I just have a hard time justifying to him why sports is different than whatever show he wants to watch daily. Any thoughts? Or am I drawing a line where there doesn't need to be one?

We're not screen-free (but very low screen time) and we're not really sports fans! But I can understand permitting sports-watching because it is happening in real time. Much of the enjoyment, I think, is seeing it as it happens and keeping up with the team. I'd also be more inclined to allow the watching of a particular TV show that my child was passionate about--if all the kids are going to be discussing it tomorrow, and it's important to her, I'd be more inclined to work it into her schedule.