Our screen time rules | How we use technology in our homeschool

Hey mamas! I’m finally getting around to elaborating on this topic! I hope you enjoy hearing how we handle screens in our home!

What are your thoughts on screen time?

You can hear from other mamas too!

✨New here? Introduce yourself in the comments!

I’ll go first:
I’m Christina. I’m married to my best friend, Seth, we have 5 kids (ages 2, 4, 7, 11, & 14), and love our family, Jesus, and adventuring together.

We are passionate about being counter culture, including alternatives to traditional schooling. I have experience as a public school teacher, private school teacher, and homeschool mom!

I love the Charlotte Mason education approach, and many others, but I’d say we are more of an eclectic homeschool—mixing the different aspects of homeschool styles that we love—living books, literature-based learning, Montessori, nature study, and so much more!

Whether you are considering homeschooling, new to homeschooling, considering alternative ways to educate your child, or just looking for some encouragement and inspiration for your motherhood journey, I hope you feel welcome and encouraged here 🤍

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[audrikinnard]

I loved this video and all your reasons. 1000% agree. My husband is the complete opposite and an avid video game player. It’s so hard

[_learningwithlove_]

I agree with you 100% and I struggle with phone boundaries for myself as well. I completely agree with your reasons and how it negatively impacts their behavior. I despise the constant questioning of when will they be able to play next 🤦‍♀️ I hate video games, but unfortunately I caved this past Christmas. I just have to remind myself that I need to set the boundary and say no until the weekend (that’s our rule, they can play on the weekends only with a time limit).
Do other family members give you push back? Do you worry they will resent you? Do you worry when they are 18+ they will get their hands on it and just go off the handle?
I am an over thinker as well. It’s not as easy thing to navigate.

[joyforthejourney]

I hear you on having things to do on my phone "that keep family afloat" and explaining that, and trying to wait if possible til they aren't around to avoid the appearance... haha!

[joyforthejourney]

I feel the same way as you about screens and love how you and your hubby do things! I have caught myself resenting TV and feeling agitated in the past over my unmet desire to be even more screen minimal than we already are. But in the recent years there has been more peace in my heart about it, as I continued to give it to the LORD and be thankful that my husband is actually pretty balanced and along with quality time in other ways with our kids, only watches a little of something age appropriate with my kids after dinner, he controls it, and enjoys snuggles with them as a result...and not every night, but more often than not. So for wives who have a similar situation, I want to remind you to be a peacemaker in your home first...because trying to make our husband's do it OUR way and holding up an ideal they aren't on board with can become a worse issue between husand and wife than a little tv time. Of course, it is awesome if the husband wants be more screen free. Keeping praying and walking in peace and unity!

[ashleyworkman]

Right on sister I have six children my first two. Cell phones pretty early the rest are not getting phones at all until they can drive and have their own vehicle and have their own full-time job to pay for it

[isabellajoyy]

We have similar mindset around screens 🤍🤗

[bndgkmd]

Thank you for this video! I totally agree with you. Well said.

[irinak]

Love your videos! You make great points. I only wish that you got to the core of the subject a little sooner, I find myself having to scroll trying to find where the content starts.

[krystinm]

I’m not sure if you’ve already answered this but I’d love to know more about the damaging or addictive effects that certain shows/videos screen time causes, do you have any links? Love your channel all the way from Adelaide, South Australia 😊

[addiegonzalez]

My daughter is about to turn 5, and although she doesn't have a phone, I was allowing her to watch part of a movie or show almost every day for a while. Once she started telling me she was bored all the time, I scaled back 1-2 times a week, but I'm thinking I might drop it down to 1-2 a month. Her creativity and desire to play it back, but she still asks once in a while when she can watch T.V.

[L--C]

No phones for my kids either! I have a second cell phone I leave for them if I am going somewhere, but it’s my phone and used as a home phone only, and they completely respect that. Video games are a hard no. No regular TV but they do watch more DVDs than I would like, but it’s a thing they do with Dad.

[Bonita-ylbn]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts I love and respect your reasonings for screen time. I homeschool also ☺️I been trying to limit my kid’s screen time also but struggle with what would they do instead of screen time? What do your kids do when they’re not doing homeschooling?

[krismcginty]

I agree! We have 4 kiddos. My 2 oldest who is 8 & 5 has/had access to our ipad. It was more so fine when they were little & learning their abc's and 123's. However it does become addictive. (I see that with my 2 yr old, as she's watching it for her abc & 123's.) & now that my 2 oldest r older, I have seen a change in their behavior bc they're no longer watching abc & 123 things. Now they try to sneak on YouTube or download games. & sometimes they do watch educational things. However there's a lot of stuff that pops up for the next video & takes them down rabbit holes. Now that we really cut them off for a lot of that, barring an education video for school that I'm there with them for it, they r being so much more creative and loving playing outside & just doing the things that kids do. ❤

Our rules r that once their chores r done, they have to ASK for playing farming simulator computer game or playing educational school games, & not just assume that they're allowed. And sometimes I will and sometimes I won't allow them to have some screen time. Mostly depends on their attitude and work ethic for the day with their chores as a treat for them. But now that the weather is nice out, they usually go outside and play. I want them to get that kids play time outside and have creative play.

I know everyone has their own rules. And it's so hard to walk that fine line for what our family needs. We just pivot as we r seeing what the results r & seeing the impact it's having.... Good or bad. ❤

[heidiholom]

I think your kids will like it or the older ones

[FaithfulHomestead]

Please a video about your reasons why you don't like tv. I am not a huge fan of tv for my children either.

[erint]

I am not a fan of screens for children either. Unfortunately my husband is not on the exact same page so my boys get way more than I want. But we don't use them in our homeschool except for the occasional YouTube educational video or documentary. My 15 yr old also does not have a phone and no plans for him to get one.

[tammyjohnson]

We are smart phone users but it has not been good for my kids. Only our older kids, 24, 22 and 17, have gotten phones when they are in a full time job and can pay for it themselves which has been around 17-18 years old. Smartphone addiction, bullying, sexual content and major social dysfunction is real!! And it can happen over night. I think we were naive and didn't have the correct parameters/boundaries and teaching for our kids. One of my daughter's greatest sources for anxiety and stress has been her phone. Yuck!!! At our church we are going through a book and video series called Smart Phone Sanity and it has been both heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. We have 2 younger kids, 10 and 6, so my husband and I walked away from the first session and immediately made major changes in our home. We can't go back but we can move forward and even though our 2 oldest are out of the house we plan to challenge them to go through this book and evaluate their phone usage. Praise the Lord for people who do research and speak out. Thank you for this video!!

[kassondrahill]

I don't like TV either. My husband is not a Christian. But personally, I'd be okay with one tv for worship and educational videos, and that's it. But I haven't convinced my unbelieving husband yet. 🤦‍♀️I'm working on it.

[bndgkmd]

I have a question. Does your ex allow them to watch t.v., phones, etc? I have that issue with my older children who I share custody with. It's a struggle. Just curious how you handle that.

[emmvee]

How do you find this works with your older kids going to their dads? I could never keep them from doing these very things when my oldest 4 would go to their dads. He said he was a believer but in every way lived and lives his life the opposite. Immediately they all had computers in their rooms, ipods with internet as young as 7, and phones that went unchecked as young teens. Anything to keep them busy, & they watched all the nasty movies there & with him. I never knew how to handle it because they would have zero discipline & when they were here made it impossible to discipline because they knew they were leaving in 5 days...& they have all been sucked into that video game addiction, phone addiction, & parents became irrelevant because they were in public school where teachers here in Canada supported the kids ideas over the parents. They are a train wreck now. I took my daughter's iphone away bought by her dad & was threatened by him & she ran away to his house at 16 & i haven't seen her & she won't speak to me in 2 years. I consider our home to be extremely safe since we have values & care & spent lots of time with them, & they were loved by my husband as his own. All these things plus the new agendas in university & school, i have a son who is now transitioning and won't speak to us for no reason, another one who's 22 who got mad because i tried speaking to my daughter when she left & her dad would not let me. So he has gotten offended & left. All I've seen in them is complete selfishness & no care for parents. They have all said they hate their dad as he is abusive, but guess where they go because doing what they want with no supervision is what they choose. All of that & I've still heard things from friends that my 8 & 6 yr old that I'm homeschooling will be social idiots. I'm listening to your socialization one again! And getting that book. I know the Lord asked me to do this also.
Do you have anything about dealing with another household like that? It may help others. Thanks for making me feel that this is truly very important!