My 5th grader gets 30 minutes of screen time, assuming his homework and music practice are finished. We do not allow Roblox in our house, nor are my children allowed to connect w/ anyone outside the house via video games (they can connect to each other in Minecraft, using the same wifi). I also have a 3rd grader and 8th grader.

My kids also play outside quite a bit with the children in the neighborhood. Luckily, their best friends have even more limits on screen time then mine, so they find lots of creative things to do - nerf battles, fort building, settlers of catan.

What would your kid do if you were WOH? After-school childcare? Hang out at home with no oversight? Whatever it would be - do that. Pretend for a moment that you aren't there. You're working.

Anonymous wrote:All these kids on screens should be at aftercare. Cheap, lazy parents.

I'm so curious about how much TV you watched as a child and whether you think you turned out okay or not. (I'm guessing no, LOL)

Anonymous wrote:All these kids on screens should be at aftercare. Cheap, lazy parents.

What do you think kids do in aftercare, PP? They're allowed to bring iPads, they're on their computers, only the younger kids are actually playing.

All these kids on screens should be at aftercare. Cheap, lazy parents.

I don't really get OP's angle - was the update poster someone different? They switched gender and thing that they were addicted to.

Homework, golf or baseball or taekwondo, 20-30 min of TV, dinner, shower, guitar practice, playtime with siblings, book, sleep.

We also get big puzzles and he works on those if there is any free time left. He is 6th grade. Plays Minecraft on weekends for 1,5 hours.

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read all the replies. My 4th grader doesn’t play video games at all (and rarely watches TV), so I don’t think those options occur to her. After school, she eats a snack then does some combination of playing outside, playing in her room (dolls, hot wheels, etc), arts/crafts (she’s starting working on making Christmas gifts for family members), practicing her instrument, or reading.

Mine is a little younger but same. I think if ut isn’t a part of the routine it becomes a lot easier

I haven’t read all the replies. My 4th grader doesn’t play video games at all (and rarely watches TV), so I don’t think those options occur to her. After school, she eats a snack then does some combination of playing outside, playing in her room (dolls, hot wheels, etc), arts/crafts (she’s starting working on making Christmas gifts for family members), practicing her instrument, or reading.

He eats, packs his bag and we're off to hockey practice. That's 4-6x per week. Otherwise, when he's free, he eats and then he goes outside with his friends to play basketball or soccer or ride his bike/scooter. Why don't you just lock her device? I put a code on all my kids devices, they can't use it unless I unlock it. Disconnect the system, and hide it.

My not immature fourth grader adores Calico Critters. She and a neighborhood friend play with them daily. They also play school with dolls, make pet clinics or adoption clinics with stuffed animals, set up play restaurants or hotels for us, they make crafts… just lots of make-believe. I was the same. My friends and I played with dolls until we were at least 13.

We get home at 4. Homework and a snack 4-6 while I wrap up WFH day. DD reads or plays with Barbies if she finishes HW early—which is often—HW is only about 30 mins. We have a rule of no tv/iPad during the week and that is working well for us. DD is 9.

3rd and 5th graders: Wash food flask, homework, play in backyard, math class once a week, swim 3 times a week, read, play with sibling, draw, etc.

No TV or electronics during the wee.

Mine reads. No TV and no devices at home.

Garden, skateboard with friends, help make dinner