Genius Parenting Hack to Minimize Screen Time - Part I

April 23, 2025•

Are TV and Screen Time Taking Over Your Family’s Lives?

The Truth About Kids and Screen Time

I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day. And I heard what sounded like a theme song from a popular cartoon playing. It took me a minute to place where it was coming from. After glancing around, I found the source of the noise: a toddler clinging to her mom’s leg with one hand and clutching a phone with the other, eyes glued to the screen.

As I waited my turn at the register, I had a pit in my stomach that I couldn’t shake, and my mind wandered to an article I read in The New York Times about Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple. He admitted to being a “low-tech parent,” limiting his own kids’ access to digital devices. And if the guy who created the iPhone had reservations, I knew it was worth paying attention to.

Most families today are the opposite. Research shows that the majority of kids get their first smartphone by age 10, and by age 12, 50% of children have social media accounts. Shockingly, 45% of teens say they are almost constantly online.

As a mom, I know it’s nearly impossible to keep your kids completely away from screens. But have you ever felt uneasy about your child’s use of computers and phones? I know I have.

Maybe you wish you could get your kids to cut back on their screen time but don’t know where to start.

Well, I’ve got some solutions for you.

Let’s get your child disconnected from screens and reconnected with the wonders of life away from the screen, the Happy Life System way!

Want Less Screen Time for Your Kids? Start Here!

Digital devices can be a big distraction for your children. Here’s one way I minimize screen time in my own home, and I’m here to tell you it works:

Create A Screen Free Zone In Your Home

__Designate a Screen Free Zone: __Choose one place in your home to be a “screen free zone.” Maybe it’s the living room, the dining room, or an outdoor area. Whatever works for you and your family.
__Create a Drop-Off Place: __Use something like a basket or a taped off counter space for everyone to leave their phones and devices.
__Make a Family Agreement: __Create a mutual agreement with your family about your zone. Maybe the living room can have screens on family movie night if this is your screen free zone. Or maybe you want everyone to spend a certain amount of time in the zone and screen free every day. Make this fit and work for your family.
__Have Fun and Celebrate: __Celebrate together! It’s a big deal to take a break from screens these days. High-five, hug, talk about how you feel when you have time away from screens. You’re all doing amazing work and that deserves some love and attention!

What’s great about this move is it makes screen time so much more intentional. Instead of the absent-minded moments on your devices, you'll become more aware of your time spent with screens. You might even look forward to being in that screen free zone!

If you’re looking for even more tips on creating a happier lifestyle at home and minimizing screen time, I’ll have a blog for you soon with even more tips that I can’t wait for you to read.