When I walked into the kitchen this morning, this is how I found my son. Just a few months ago, he had zero interest in books.
So what changed?
I was talking with a neighborhood dad with older kids. I was complaining about my son being addicted to his iPad. This dad told me his kids don’t have a problem. The family rule: No screen time Monday through Thursday.
Nothing else was working, so I figured I’d try it. I went home and laid down the law: No screen time from Sunday night until Friday after school. There would be four dedicated no-screen days during the week.
The first week was tough. There were arguments, but I stuck to it. After a few days, Thomas got bored, picked up a book, and started reading. Fast-forward a few months, and he reads every day, even on the weekends.
The rule makes life easier for me and my wife, too. It’s easy to enforce. No more daily negotiations or battles about how much screen time is OK. The lesson for me is that clear boundaries are best.
If you’re struggling with screen time, this could be the solution you’ve been looking for. If your child is anything like mine, you’ll be surprised at the results.
