Anonymous wrote:A lot. The first reason I let them is that before I allowed screens, they were bookworms, and they still read for pleasure; and the second reason is that they don't just watch mindless shorts. Many channels they watch on Youtube are phenomenal (Kurzgesacht, Overly Sarcastic Productions, various crafters who are expert in what they do) and they've learned a lot.

Same here. One of my kids loves history, music trivia, and theater channels. The other is into Duolingo, cooking, tutorials for their sport, and “how it’s made” type videos. They’re both active and need down time once in awhile.

I’ll have to check out Overly Sarcastic Productions, thanks for the rec!

Our 13 year old (7th grade) doesn’t have a phone or watch yet. But she has had an iPad since she homeschooled during Covid in 2nd grade. We don’t monitor her on it. She has a group of friends she messages with and face times with, watches various videos (educational and not) etc. But she is serious about soccer and the flute and, between driving and practicing, soccer is 2 hrs of her day. Add in shower, dinner, homework, and a few chores and she doesn’t have much time for screens during the week. Maybe an hour on average if that. She’s also unlimited on weekends but doesn’t use that privilege much - maybe 2-3 hrs of screen time on her own, more if we watch a movie as a family or something. Last Sunday she chose to spend about 8 hrs reading a good book in almost a single sitting and then Sunday before I took her on an all-day outing. Our younger DD (8) struggles with regulation and isn’t as involved in activities so we need to figure that out.

HS Junior (16) has no limits but doesn't use his phone after he comes home. He is in a varsity sport which means he comes home late (6:30-7pm) or leaves really early 3 days a week. He also spends 2 hours in the evening playing the piano. But he is on his computer doing homework till late. Of course, Discord is always open in one window for chats with friends. No other social media. Grades are excellent, so we have no complaints. However, we worry that the constant switching between windows and rapid fire Discord messaging can't be good for sustained focus. Our brains don't multitask that well.

Anonymous wrote:How much screen time do your straight A students have? Do they self monitor well?

Some days very little, some days a lot. She still gets more than I would like, but she fully manages her assignments and grades, has a demanding year-round EC and a part-time job so I let it slide.

Anonymous wrote:I have a 16 year old boy. He has no limits and manages himself but sophomore year in high school was his first year totally on his own. He has after school activities and comes home and does his homework or studies before he does any downtime on the phone. He’s also really good about using time at school for homework and has always been like that.

We never got him a gaming system though and he doesn’t play video games.

Oh should have said no phone in bedroom at night.

I have a 16 year old boy. He has no limits and manages himself but sophomore year in high school was his first year totally on his own. He has after school activities and comes home and does his homework or studies before he does any downtime on the phone. He’s also really good about using time at school for homework and has always been like that.

We never got him a gaming system though and he doesn’t play video games.

We allow it with no real limits other than it goes in kitchen to charge around 9:30. Kids are 7th/9th. Both are really involved in sports and other activities. Both do homework in either study hall or directly after school so that’s why we don’t really limit it. Both seem to self regulate it well.

My 8th grader has downtime at 9:30 while high schoolers get till 10:30. They play sports and work would need to be done by then as well. In bed at downtime

Two straight-A kids who were on their phones (DS was on-line games as well) a lot. Both also played a travel sport and high school sports, so they didn’t come straight home and stare at screens immediately and I cut them a lot of slack. Only when I caught DS playing games with friends at 1am did I limit it, I set internet to turn off at 12am for a period of time.

That same DS graduated from college summa cum laude in the spring, other kid is a college freshman now.

HS Senior DD. Manages on own well. Keeps phone downstairs when she’s sleeping. Has some social like insta. Rarely stays up late to do homework. Involved in several activities that keep her busy.

The key is to keep them busy with activities.

Not sure how it will go in college when the dorm room is small and phone is always there

Kids have unlimited screen time and 95+ averages.

DD14 monitors very well, I don't have to think about it. DS10 sometimes needs to be encouraged to take breaks/touch grass.

Takeaway: it's not the screen time.

We don’t have any official limits for my 16 yo, but it’s not that much between school, sports, and homework. And he basically has no social media/no watching YouTube videos. Mainly texting with friends, listening to music (not really screen time), and reading news/sports results.

About an hour a day