Are iPad rules strict or is it like horseshoes where “almost” counts?

iPad-free summer is making a little progress, but at the cost of drama and scribbles of running away and how terrible life is …

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So if they sneak an iPad for 5 minutes or 50 minutes, does it matter? It’s still “breaking the rules,” right? There’s not “sorta pregnant” or “sorta stole the TV from the BestBuy” but what about sneaking the iPad for just a few minutes as opposed to sneaking it for a longer time?

The (very) cropped scribbling in the image with this post is how my 9-year old wrote out that he forfeited his 1.5 hours of screen time because he “was a terrible person” and stuff like that. Granted, disclaimer, warning: he’s quite the drama queen. But my mom is here and she has experience with 32 seventh graders at the same time. Experience with lack of discipline, lack of attention, lack of respect. Ooh, we could use some of that. She brings it back to The Rules. When you make it about The Rules, then it’s less personal. It’s not me, it’s the Rule Book. When they learn The Rules they might learn that it’s not personal, that there are rules and if you abide by them life might be a little easier.

At least, that’s our strategy. Lots of yelling, crying and drama around here. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like without screens in our life, but I can’t imagine it, so I’ll just leave it.

P.S. I started the book titled, “The Surefire Solution to Your Kids’ Screen Time Addictions.” Available on Amazon soon for desperate parents for the introductory price of $997.

So far, it’s empty. I have no solutions. Stay tuned.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]