Managing Children?s Screentime: How Apps Help

Screentime is a big issue in our household.
As an author and research into child development (and despite my geekiness), I am not comfortable with my children having endless access to the increasing number of screens that inhabit the house. In Adproofing Your Kids, there are a range of strategies about how to manage the amount of time your child spends in front of the TV, computer, iTouch, iPhone, gaming console ? or heck ? just staring at the microwave oven door when it is on.
Why do I have an issue with too much screen time? Well, digital technology and computers obviously provide a whole range of developmental opportunities and spaces to learn and create ? but no one tool is comprehensive. I still want my children to learn how to manage their own boredom and not fill it up with endless games of Mario Cart. I want my kids to have a diversity of experience to go out into the backyard, or down the street to play with friends. I want them world building in Spore, but also world building in their cubby house by playing action hero games, and then world building by drawing and designing with pencils on paper.
The beauty of iPhone and iPads, myself and fellow geek parents have found, is the timer on the alarm clock. We?ve all�separately�found that we began setting the timer as a way to manage our children?s game time on portable devices. It is simple, easy and you can engage the children in setting the alarm type. It develops a clear sense of boundaries and rather than just saying ?times up? and preparing for the argument. Children seem to argue less.
This little app called Game Time Limit takes it one step further and I have found it useful, as my older boy has begun to secret himself away so that when the alarm goes off to end his time he can turn it off quickly and keep playing ? or even in some instances reset it?so when he is asked to turn it off he can point to the timer and claim that it has not finished. Game Time Limit simply lets you set the timer, and when it finishes locks the phone and can only be opened by a passcode that has been set by the parent.
So, whether it is screentime you are worried about ? or just getting your handheld device back at some stage ? apps like this certainly play a role.
Note: GeekDad�received�a review copy of the app mentioned in this article.

TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES