Genius Parenting Hacks to Minimize Screen Time - Part II

April 23, 2025•

If you’re ready to make meaningful changes for your family when it comes to screen time, you’re in the right place. Today, I’m sharing three more powerful strategies to help your children disconnect from screens and reconnect with life. And if you haven’t already, be sure to check out Genius Parenting Hacks to Minimize Screen Time - Part I for even more insights.

Ready for Balance?: Reduce Screen Time, Boost Happiness

Welcome back, friends! I’m so glad you’re here for part II of our blog series focused on screen time.

Now, we all know digital screens are everywhere. From tablets to smartphones, kids are spending more time than ever glued to screens. And while technology has its benefits, the excessive screen time our kids are logging can have serious repercussions.

A study published in Good Housekeeping revealed that children under eight years old look at phones for an average of 48 minutes per day. Add in some TV time, and total screen exposure comes in at around two hours a day. Is this a problem? Absolutely. Our mental wellness depends on how disciplined we are with our devices.

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, excessive screen time can:

Cause health issues, like increased risk of obesity and depression.
Hinder development: Negatively affecting cognitive, motor, and social brain development.

As a mom of four, I totally get the stress of trying to navigate screen time with kids. It’s never as simple as just taking the screens away, right? And we don’t want daily battles or plans that fall apart after a week. We need real, thoughtful strategies that actually work.

Well, I’ve got some more solutions for you. These are tips that I use in my own home for my mental health and the well-being of my kids. Let’s dive into how we can get our children to disconnect from screens and reconnect with the wonders of life the__ Happy Life System__ way!

Simplify Less Screen Time: The Happy Life System Way

Here are some practical, real-life tips that work for my family. Providing boundaries with technology is incredibly important. And if you get creative with how you set those boundaries up and are consistent, you’ll notice a shift to a more positive atmosphere in your home.

Create a Value Board

Sure, screens have a place in your home, but what about the activities your family truly enjoys and wants to prioritize every day? These are the things that bring joy and connection, like playing outside, spending quality time at meals, and family game nights.

A family value board is a great way to shift the focus from screens to prioritize those things that truly matter.

Here are 2 simple steps to create your own family Value Board:

Sit down as a family and list out the core activities you value together, like weekend hikes, getting outside, and cooking meals with each other.
Put these values on a board and display it somewhere you all see in your home every day.

This visual reminder keeps everyone aligned with family priorities over screen time. And remember, create this *with *your family. This way, you are coming together as a team and making sure everyone’s preferences and interests are taken into account. This also will help everyone take more ownership, feel empowered, and be more motivated to focus on these activities instead of being glued to screens all the time.

Make a “Positive Only” Boundary

It’s so important to be open and have conversations with your kids about the content that is accessible through technology. The amount of content available is enormous, both positive and negative, so talk about it with your family.

You’ve got to ask questions like:

What content do you want to consume when you’re using screens?
When you’re engaging with this content, how does it make you feel?

Don’t allow negative “outside noise” to complicate your family’s harmony. What goes in will also come out. This means the messaging being shown on the screens impacts the perceptions and beliefs your children hold about themselves and the world. Look for content that promotes kindness and empathy and sparks curiosity and wonder. As adults, many of us can relate to consuming content that leaves us with a pit in our stomachs. The same is true for your kids. Focus on family-friendly movies, educational shows, and social accounts that encourage learning and positive values.

Here are 2 simple steps to create “Positive Only” Boundaries:

Set boundaries on what’s allowed. Ask your kids why they want to watch something, if it inspires them, and how.
Guide them to choose content that’s uplifting and beneficial.

Being open and talking about how to choose content and expanding their awareness to check in with how certain content makes them feel will help your kids become more mindful and selective about their screen time.

Establish a Screen Zone in Your Home

Ever find yourself talking to your kids as they mindlessly scroll through their phones? Or are your kids trying to connect with you, but you’re focused on your own screen? It happens! These devices are meant to be addicting and grab our attention. A really great solution? Create a screen zone in your home.

Here are 2 simple steps to create a screen zone:

Make a zone or place in your home that’s the only place where screens can be used. Your living room is a great place for this.
Everywhere else in your home is “digital screen free.” Kitchen? Bedroom? Dining room? Corner of the laundry room? Yep — all devices are off-limits here.
Create a mutual agreement with your children on the amount of time anyone spends in the screen zone each day. Maybe you adjust more for weekend time or a special family movie night. Make this fit and work for your family.

And the most effective way to be sure this works? You’ve got to do it too. So that means no nonstop checking on your work emails or mindlessly scrolling through your own phone all over the house.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Remember, small, consistent actions lead to lasting change.

Start with one hack to minimize screen time that feels right for your family, then go from there. Over time, you can start adding more Happy Life System tips, tricks, and practices to reduce the use of technology in your home and boost family connections. Our world is full of distractions, but your house shouldn’t be.