It is getting colder outside, which means my kids are grabbing for their electronics more. While I love technology, I hate it when my kids become techno-zombies. You know that glazed-over, zoned out look they get when they are glued to the TV? They get all bug-eyed and develop selective hearing, it drives me crazy. So I have some ideas to help limit electronic use at home.

In our house we have a rule that the kids can’t touch technology until certain responsibilities are finished. Plain and simple. If you stick to this rule, it makes things very easy. In the morning, the kids have to make their beds, put clothes away, get ready for school (without being asked a hundred times), and brush their teeth. After school, they have to hang up their stuff and do their homework. If that doesn’t get done then there is no TV, computers, or little hand held devices. Here is my son making his bed! 🙂

Medical experts recommend limiting screen time to 1-2 hours a day for kids over 2 years old. This seemed like a lot for me because between homework and after school activities there isn’t much time left for more technology. However, there are days with more free time so I wanted to manage media time…especially in the winter months when my kids don’t want to run around in the snow. I have been trying to promote more wellness activities with my kids so I came up with an idea to try in my house. They can earn more technology time by practicing more wellness. Check out our “Prize Pin” bucket we made:

Get Clothespins and a Bucket

Write Technology Activities on One Side of Clothespin

Write Wellness Activities on the Other Side of Clothespin

Kids Decorate the Clothespins

 

Here’s the Finished Product!

 Kids get to choose the technology activity they want to do but they must do the wellness activity on the back first. Last night, my son wanted to play Wii but he had to go outside and play a sport first. Next thing we knew, he was playing basketball for the next hour and forgot about Wii! He earned Wii so he can still play it when he feels like it. When kids are finished, they put the clothespin in the bucket. When all the pins are gone, we start over.

I looked around on Pinterest and found some other cute ideas. I featured them today on “Media Mom”. Check it out: