How much screen time?

If B could be would use the ipad before school, after school, during meals and in bed. But only if he couldn't use the computer to play Minecraft in that time. Minecraft is his obsession right now. A few months back it was Dragonvale.  I had read somewhere to take an interest in your children's computer games so I got Dragonvale for myself. It was so addictive I had to play it whenever I could, waiting for B to go to bed so that I could play without him knowing. That addictiveness for an adult was hard to control, so just think of the torture B went through in his eight year old brain, wanting, craving and needing and whining. So thanks to Dragonvale we have had to address the issue of gaming screen time and I learnt a valuable lesson (I don't need to get that involved). 

My Mum used to say,"Variety is the spice of life" and "Enjoy a little bit of everything" She was referring to food not screens, but it has been helpful to apply the same principles. I've had to make some hard decisions about how much gaming screen time is enough for a 4 and 8 year old. On the one hand games can be addictive, singular and antisocial, but on the other they can be creative, fun, educational, social currency and children are learning to use the tools of their future.

So how much screen time is B allowed right now?

During school term:

Friday after school 30 mins of Minecraft (we use the microwave timer).

Saturday 1 hour total with no more than 30 mins of Minecraft.

Sunday 1 hour total with not more than 30 mins of Minecraft.

However he is allowed to watch movies or television after school if his homework is done and on the weekend. I am quick to warn him that screen time will be taken away for inappropriate behaviour, so it's a valuable currency now it is limited.

Little Miss is allowed the equivalent so a total of 2.5 hours over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of screen games. She prefers the ipad over the computer and often chooses to watch Playschool episodes on the ipad over any other type of game. It will be interesting to see how that changes as she matures.

Is 2.5 hours gaming enough a week?

Not according to B. But when I consider the amount of time he plays sport a week (3 hours per week) or reads books (4 hours), or creates/draws/crafts (2 hours), then I think that the screen time is in balance with everything else. I am often reminding him that variety is what makes life enjoyable. A range of interests and skills is what makes you an interesting person.

I have to say that I was horrified by a recent communications agency advert where a mother is on a bus with a screaming baby, so she gives her mobile device to the baby to keep it quiet. Might be great for the bus trippers, but I hope that baby isn't playing Dragonvale.... I think that the habit of handing a device to B and Little Miss when they are bored is ultimately teaching them that they dont have to be patient and it's okay to switch off from the world around them. I would much rather my kids are interesting as well as annoying. It wont be long and they wont be kids anymore anyway.

I found these articles on screen time very interesting :
BBC Health News
Raising Children

Kidspot
Kids Health
Becoming mininalist