In a world of growing technology, it’s easy to spend too much time on electronics. As parents, we have to set good examples and implement firm rules around screens in a way that builds responsibility and self-control. This way is to earn it. Earning game time will help your children build healthy lifetime habits of taking care of responsibilities before play, a healthy restriction for a balanced life, and self-control to know when to quit.
The Game Time Process
First, set guidelines for the duration and start of game time, such as one hour maximum per day, beginning at 5:00 PM. This restriction supports healthy brain development and forms healthy habits. The set time helps form healthy daily routines. Prolonged amounts of screen time are destructive to mental, physical, and social health in children.
Second, set firm conditions for the basis of playing the game. Personal responsibilities like cleaning their bedrooms and doing homework need to be completed before the next step. This helps them to understand that responsibilities come first.
Third, provide means to earn game time, such as household chores. Each household chore is a set amount of time earned. For example, cleaning the living room earns ten minutes, and taking out the trash earns five minutes. You can incentivize taking initiative by giving each task extra time. For example, if you tell your children to clean up the living room, they earn ten minutes, but if they do it on their own, they earn fifteen minutes. You can also make it a condition that time will only be earned if there is no complaining. This helps them to learn the concept of earning wages and getting rewarded for their efforts.
A Few Things to Remember
When raising children, it is important to set firm expectations, meaning you do not allow them to play game time outside of the parameters that you set. If you do, they will not respect your boundaries or rules.
