No screen time here. Kids are 3.5 and 7. We both work (flexible hours, thankfully) and have been limping along with no childcare since the pandemic started.

My parents are willing to go on Zoom and read to them once in awhile, which helps. Other than that the oldest one reads a lot and is willing to read to the younger one. They are expected to help at home. They make up pretend games and go outside a fair bit.

My 7 y/o gets a ridiculous amount of screen time. I know it adds up to hours even though we take time each day to do something outside, paint or color, puzzles, and family karaoke.

There’s way too many hours to fill and no play dates. I try to find social stuff to do on zoom but that’s not much. DD is an only child.

Anonymous wrote:We do anywhere from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours. It depends on the day and what is going on. I don't love the days when it's 2-3 hours, but overall, they live a great life with a lot of exercise, learning, time for free/creative play, etc., so I am not too worried about it.

Oh, and kids are ages 4 and 6.

We do anywhere from 30 minutes to 2-3 hours. It depends on the day and what is going on. I don't love the days when it's 2-3 hours, but overall, they live a great life with a lot of exercise, learning, time for free/creative play, etc., so I am not too worried about it.

We allow maybe four hours a week in addition to virtual school. Videos for the younger ones, games (preferably social) for the oldest. But we have four children, so there's more in the way of built-in playmates.

Anonymous wrote:My kids 11 and 6 did no gaming before the pandemic. They discovered Minecraft and Among us within the last six weeks. I set no limits on how much other than a hard bedtime. I feel like I should feel that this is a problem but I don’t. It keeps the peace in the house because there would be fighting without gaming and its something new in the middle of all the sameness. I don’t think it will continue after Covid lets up.

Us too. 12 and 10. Both kids are doing a ton of socializing playing Minecraft, Roblox and Among us. I can hear the joy in their voices as they connect with friends online so I’m trying to be more chill.

My kids 11 and 6 did no gaming before the pandemic. They discovered Minecraft and Among us within the last six weeks. I set no limits on how much other than a hard bedtime. I feel like I should feel that this is a problem but I don’t. It keeps the peace in the house because there would be fighting without gaming and its something new in the middle of all the sameness. I don’t think it will continue after Covid lets up.

Anonymous wrote:I have given in a bit on screen time for my 3 yo. Never more than an hour, and I do try to make sure at least half of it "nutritious" (educational programming or a yoga or dance video that will get her moving). But I've accepted sometimes she will zone out for 30 minutes while watching Doc McStuffins and found a way to be okay with it. It's not how I would handle this during non-Covid times, but I have to make some allowances.

I wanted to add that, like another PP, we also try to have plenty of days with no screen time at all. Especially on weekends, but also pretty much anytime the weather is good. We spend as much time outside as we can. But I've also just accepted that my prior "no screen time" rule is incredibly burdensome in a world where we can't hire a babysitter when we need a break, and where we are both so mentally exhausted all the time. Allowing a little screen time has made us better parents because it gives us breaks when we need them and we really, really need them.

We used to be a no screen time during the week family. Now it varies since much of our 6th grader’s social life is via zoom or Google hangouts. We try to separate that from passive screen time like tv or games on the iPad which we do still try to monitor and limit.

I have a 6 and 4 year old at home. Are you counting distance learning as screen time?

Aside from distance learning live lessons, they each do probably 1 hour of screen time working on “homework” in the apps that are assigned.

I allow them to watch one 30 minute show or 30 minutes of a movie each day. On the weekends we let them watch up to 90 minutes each day, but often much less or nothing.

Distance learning has made our previous screen time limits obsolete (pre-pandemic we were no screens during the week).

I know parents who let kids have unlimited screen time. They can be on their iPad, video games, computer or tv after school and weekends.

I have given in a bit on screen time for my 3 yo. Never more than an hour, and I do try to make sure at least half of it "nutritious" (educational programming or a yoga or dance video that will get her moving). But I've accepted sometimes she will zone out for 30 minutes while watching Doc McStuffins and found a way to be okay with it. It's not how I would handle this during non-Covid times, but I have to make some allowances.

10 year old. Not into the zombie thing, but if she has the tv on in the background while she plays or does a project that's fine with me.

2-3 hours per day in elementary is more than we are giving. It's not every day and it's closer to an hour.

Everyone has different circumstances this year. There's a reason old fashioned toys are predicted to boom this year for the holidays. Families want to get their kids off the electronics for longer.

I hate when my kids stare at the tv or on their iPads like zombies. I feel like anything and everything is better than being on the screen. I am ok with them being bored. I want them to play outside. I know the kids are bored with their toys. In the beginning of the pandemic, we went on hikes and bike rides. We baked, did puzzles, played with toys and in our backyard. Now the only one lone thing left is the damn iPad.

How much screen time do your kids get?

I try not to give my 3yo any screen time. My elementary kids get 2-3 hours per day.