This is the first summer that screentime has been a real issue.  Lex is SO focused on the computer and it’s all he wants to do.  He was at the point where he would go wander around outside for ten minutes just to earn ten more minutes of screentime.  He was tired of having to quit his game in inconvenient places just because a timer was going off, I was tired of the timer going off and getting reset (despite the fact that we agreed they wouldn’t do that), and tired of policing the whole thing.  I was dreading going into summer with hours and hours each day to debate screentime.

At family meeting this week I brought it up as a problem.  My solution was a screen-free summer, and Lex’s solution was unlimited screentime all summer.  We came to a compromise.  Unlimited screen time AFTER they complete a list of jobs and activities.  Lex loved the idea.  I printed a few samples from the Internet (no idea is original any more!) and Lex made up our version.  They have to do 30 minutes of something creative, one household chore, take care of pets, outside time, and more.  So far things are going GREAT!  We are only on day two, but I’m optimistic!  Lex completes the jobs and (as I was hoping) it takes him awhile to get through the list so he isn’t on the computer at 9am for the entire day.  So far it has been mid- to late-afternoon before he got things done.  I don’t have to remind, he doesn’t have to ask for screen time, neither of us have to listen to (and decided how to handle) the beeping timer.

So far, on day two, this unlimited screentime plan is fantastic!   I hope it lasts the whole summer through!  :)