alt Hacker NewsGenerally agree with this approach. We need to make sure that friction exists in our kids' lives.
I have a toddler, and screen time is something that is on top of my mind, Balancing the trade-offs of when to use it while also minimizing it as much as possible.
Something that made me really sick to the stomach was learning how Cocomelon was doing AB testing to make sure that children don't look away from the show[1]. In response to that, I default to showing my kids shows from the 90s that didn't use cuts, aggressive cuts, to keep attention going. Things like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, etc.
Heck, I remember trying out one Disney show focused on Minnie Mouse and barely allowed the show to run for three minutes after I realized that there were multiple cuts happening every three seconds.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/05/arts/television/cocomelon...
I feel like the method we used worked really well. We allowed screen time only after meals and they had to eat; I wasn’t a “clean your plate” nazi; but they had to eat something. Then as they got older it turned into; get up and dressed for school and eat; the faster they were ready the more screen time they had before school. Same for after school; homework and dinner. I also use it for discipline; want to call names or be mean? Lose screen time.
Now in middle school it’s summer vacation and they’re home all day. They don’t get screen time until chores are done. They go all day without screens rather than do their chores and I’m ok with that.