We've all lost track of time when using our phones. So many parents, myself included, want to make sure the screen time limits we've set are being followed by ourselves and our children. And we'd like the limits to be respected without saying "time's up" all the time. Luckily for us, there are several apps out there designed to manage screen time limits so we don't always have to.
I've used OurPact with Tessa in the past. I could set the app to make all of the other apps disappear from her phone every night at 9 pm. OurPact would then repopulate the apps onto her phone at whatever time I programmed it to bring them back. This was especially helpful to help Tessa get in the habit of putting her phone away at bedtime.
It can be hard to have open conversations with our kids about the importance of setting and enforcing these time limits, but success comes from involving them in the discussion. I encourage you to talk with your family about what limits you should all set for yourselves and how much control you should each have.
Remember Andrew from the film. He was the teenager who struggled with video game addiction. He recently told me that his Dad would install blockers and time limits without telling him or talking to him about it. He says he wished his father would have been more open about his concerns and reasons for setting limits. Andrew says if he was included in the time-limit discussion and truly understood his father's reasons, he probably wouldn't have tried so hard to get around the limits or disable the blockers.
We have compiled a list of some popular apps that manage and set screen time limits for yourself and your family. All of the apps have at least a three-star review and have been reviewed by 50 or more users.
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
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We've all lost track of time when using our phones. So many parents, myself included, want to make sure the screen time limits we've set are being followed by ourselves and our children. And we'd like the limits to be respected without saying "time's up" all the time. Luckily for us, there are several apps out there designed to manage screen time limits so we don't always have to.
I've used OurPact with Tessa in the past. I could set the app to make all of the other apps disappear from her phone every night at 9 pm. OurPact would then repopulate the apps onto her phone at whatever time I programmed it to bring them back. This was especially helpful to help Tessa get in the habit of putting her phone away at bedtime.
It can be hard to have open conversations with our kids about the importance of setting and enforcing these time limits, but success comes from involving them in the discussion. I encourage you to talk with your family about what limits you should all set for yourselves and how much control you should each have.
Remember Andrew from the film. He was the teenager who struggled with video game addiction. He recently told me that his Dad would install blockers and time limits without telling him or talking to him about it. He says he wished his father would have been more open about his concerns and reasons for setting limits. Andrew says if he was included in the time-limit discussion and truly understood his father's reasons, he probably wouldn't have tried so hard to get around the limits or disable the blockers.
We have compiled a list of some popular apps that manage and set screen time limits for yourself and your family. All of the apps have at least a three-star review and have been reviewed by 50 or more users.
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We've all lost track of time when using our phones. So many parents, myself included, want to make sure the screen time limits we've set are being followed by ourselves and our children. And we'd like the limits to be respected without saying "time's up" all the time. Luckily for us, there are several apps out there designed to manage screen time limits so we don't always have to.
I've used OurPact with Tessa in the past. I could set the app to make all of the other apps disappear from her phone every night at 9 pm. OurPact would then repopulate the apps onto her phone at whatever time I programmed it to bring them back. This was especially helpful to help Tessa get in the habit of putting her phone away at bedtime.
It can be hard to have open conversations with our kids about the importance of setting and enforcing these time limits, but success comes from involving them in the discussion. I encourage you to talk with your family about what limits you should all set for yourselves and how much control you should each have.
Remember Andrew from the film. He was the teenager who struggled with video game addiction. He recently told me that his Dad would install blockers and time limits without telling him or talking to him about it. He says he wished his father would have been more open about his concerns and reasons for setting limits. Andrew says if he was included in the time-limit discussion and truly understood his father's reasons, he probably wouldn't have tried so hard to get around the limits or disable the blockers.
We have compiled a list of some popular apps that manage and set screen time limits for yourself and your family. All of the apps have at least a three-star review and have been reviewed by 50 or more users.
Kids with ADHD benefit most when parents provide support at the exact moment behavior happens, a science-backed approach called "point of performance." Abruptly shifting from high-stimulation screen time to demanding tasks creates a "dopamine cliff," a brain chemistry drop that often shows up as resistance and conflict. Understanding both concepts helps parents smooth those transitions and build real skills and confidence in their kids over time.
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A new Louis Theroux documentary on Netflix exposes the growing network of online influencers pushing sexism, misogyny, and a narrow vision of masculinity on boys and young men. Combined with last year's hit series Adolescence, it is a wake-up call for parents. The good news: there is a lot we can do. This week, I round up our most relevant blogs and podcast episodes from recent months, covering everything from the "interrupter" technique to boys' mental health, phones in schools, online sports betting, pornography, and the manosphere's exploitation of boys' loneliness. The research is clear that parents who show up with curiosity, honesty, and consistency have more influence than they realize.
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When kids struggle with big emotions, many parents reach for a screen to keep the peace — but this can get in the way of children developing real coping skills. Drawing on research from Dr. Jenny Radesky, this post shares two practical strategies: using the Zones of Regulation color system to help kids name and process their feelings, and doing a toy swap with another parent to build your "vulnerable village" of support. Both approaches turn difficult screen-time moments into opportunities for emotional growth.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
