Screen Time, Parental Control Apps, and Other Helpful Screen Time Strategies

When I give my parent workshop, “Unraveling Screen Time Together With Your Teen or Tween,” I inevitably get the question, “What is the best App for managing screen time?”

Thankfully the answer is that there are many good products out there. These Apps are truly ingenious and very helpful. Sadly on their own they are not enough. Balanced with other direct strategies they can help you get a hold of screen time management in your home. 

Here are my top 10 favorite screen time tips:

1. Set an example by modeling your own healthy screen time use.

2. Produce off screen alternatives.

3. Create opportunities to learn self regulation.

4. Take an interest in what your kids are doing online.

5. Encourage active vs passive screen activities.

6. Create screen free areas at home and times in your children's schedule.

7. Talk openly about how using screens make the kids feel.

8. Equip your kids with the know-how to manage risks online.

9. Make family time and sleep a priority over screens.

10. Set boundaries to help kids build good online habits. 

And remember that you are not alone.  ALL parents are dealing with screens and kids. Last week in her parenting column for the NY times, Jessica Grose wrote, “there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to approach most components of the child-raising process.”  And that is also true for managing screen time.  Every child is different, every family is different, every home environment is different.  You must find YOUR way through to a screen time management system that works in your family.  

With all of this in mind here’s the list of the top Screen Time Parental Control Apps:

• Net Nanny

• Canopy

• Family Time

• OurPact

• Norton Family

• Qustodio

There’s great stuff here, but take this all with a grain of salt.  There is no quick fix or silver bullet for managing screen time with your kids at any age.  There is only taking the time, setting the intention and gathering the tools you need to overcome this BIG challenge all parents are facing.

**Read the full NY Times article HERE. 

**For more information and comparisons read this ARTICLE in Very Well Family.