Our kids are 4 and 6. We don't have a tv in the living area of our house (Dh and I have one in our bedroom) and the kids have never asked for one or noticed that we don't. That being said, they do have kids tablets and usually watch a couple shoes or play games while I get dinner on the table.

Older DD has an activity once per week but other than that we usually eat dinner around 5 and then walk to the park or play or craft at home. Once a week we go to the library and take back books/check out new ones and play there for a while. We start baths at 6:15 then potty, pjs, brush teeth, several stories, and in bed by 7:30.

Anonymous wrote:Oldest is starting K next year. When do you find time to… hang out? Play/relax as a family? Spending the entire day apart then rushing to do everything from 4-7:30/8:00 sounds horrible! No judgment, but a real question! Is there no family time when kids head to elementary?

Quality, not quantity. Going to/from school is a great time to talk. While prepping dinner you spend time together. We aim for dinner together each night as a family. One parent puts one kid to bed - two parents is too overstimulating for them. Plus we do stuff together on the weekends.

Oldest is starting K next year. When do you find time to… hang out? Play/relax as a family?

Spending the entire day apart then rushing to do everything from 4-7:30/8:00 sounds horrible!

No judgment, but a real question! Is there no family time when kids head to elementary?

Anonymous wrote:If I give you my answer for what our weekday schedule is, it may not be good advice

I will say one way we pull it off is:
-they have to complete tasks before screens*
-Screens are off at 7:15
-Dinner always supersedes everything else. The time varies but we make it happen and everyone has to pause what they’re doing.

*tasks I give are sometimes 1 thing. Sometimes 2. I feel out the day, and what needs to happen.

In better light, we also do evening sunshine in between dinner and bed.

At 7:15 or sometimes a bit later we do room time. First thing is pjs and teeth. Then they have alone room time, not sibling play.

When they are tired they are told to call us, and we’ll sit with them.

If I give you my answer for what our weekday schedule is, it may not be good advice

Another no screens mon to Friday family but kids have activities out of the house most days so that solves the asking for it issues. When home they usually play outside until dinner.

No screens is too harsh for our kids, but if that works for your family, that's great. We get all the homework and activities done and if there’s time left they might have 30 minites of screen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just have a no screens rule for the weekdays.

+1

-1

We also have a no screen weekday policy, but I think you should do what works for you. If letting them be on screens for 30 min while the at home parent has a chance to decompress and get dinner ready, it sounds like it’s a good use of screens. Once dinner is underway, is it easier since both of you are there? If you are solving for 4-530, I would also consider an early pre dinner bath time. That would take up half an hour and they can play in the tub while you catch up on email and messages. So you could do 4-415 snack, 415-445 free play or screens while you work on dinner, 445-515 bath, 515-530 free play while dinner is put on the table.

We do no screens during the week (except Friday, when we do a family movie). They don’t even ask anymore, and it used to be a real neverending battle for us. Not saying we never got overwhelmed or irritated, but for the most part they entertain themselves (Pre-K and K).

Our kids are enrolled in classes after school that are mostly AT the school. There are absolutely no screens used during the week, with the exception if there's a sleepover on a Friday night we might let the kids watch one hour-long movie.

They play outside, they go to the park, they play in the playroom, they read, they help with making dinner, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Just have a no screens rule for the weekdays.

+1

Fast

Just have a no screens rule for the weekdays.

What is your weekday schedule like with younger elementary kids? Mine are in first and kindergarten and I still feel like the after-school time is chaotic and hard. They get home around 4. We try to have dinner ready around 5:30. Sometimes my oldest has activities but if she doesn't I feel like I am just fighting to keep the TV off. How can we maximize our time during the week? DH and I both work hybrid and stagger our days so one of us is always home but the other rolls in right when dinner is hitting the table.