How to Limit Your Child’s Screen Time Using Parental Controls

It’s 7 pm. Homework should be done. But instead, it gathers dust in the far corner of the table, and you are locked in a battle of wills with your 10-year-old. “Just five more minutes!’ your son pleads with his eyes glued to the game on their phone. You have asked nicely, you have warned, and now your frustration is bubbling. How often do evenings in your home look like this?

Let’s be honest: in our digital age, it is impossible to completely prohibit our children from using gadgets. Phones, tablets, and computers open a world of possibilities, from studying to showing their talents and finding new friends. However, excessive screen time can trigger health and mental problems, which is why it should be limited and age-appropriate.

Of course, you can battle with your child for “five more minutes” each time, but parental control tools are much more effective. In this article, we will explore why parents should limit screen time, and how to do it with less pain and effort.

Why Limit Screen Time?

Research proves that excessive exposure to screens at a young age significantly impacts the child’s development and causes mental and physical health problems. For example, scientists found a link between screen time and delayed development in young children. 1-year-old children who had more than four hours of screen time daily demonstrated delayed communication and problem-solving at the ages of 2 and 4. Besides, scientists also associate screen time with delays in fine motor, social, and personal skills development at the age of 2.

Excessive screen time has been linked to more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, aggression, and problems with attention in pre-teens. Video chatting, texting, playing video games, and watching videos are most strongly associated with depressive symptoms.

Gadgets influence the child’s physical development too. Prolonged sedentary activity is associated with higher risks of obesity and affects the development of coordination, balance, and strong muscles and bones.

Extended screen time can affect family dynamics. Families often experience the “alone together” phenomenon where members are physically present but engrossed in separate digital activities. Such families lack meaningful face-to-face communication, their bonds weaken, and conflicts become more frequent.

So, should we ban gadgets for kids to protect them from these issues? As I mentioned earlier, it is impossible and practically unnecessary. Technology is not a demon, and its moderate use can benefit your child’s studies and development. But how do you maintain this balance with minimum pain and sweat? Parental control tools are your answer.

Parental Controls: Your Secret Helper

Parental control tools are often neglected but they are your powerful ally in safeguarding your kid. These tools are meant not to restrict and punish the child but rather guide them through their digital journey, much like you guide them in learning to ride a bike or read. Parental controls provide a safety net and a way to manage the child’s exposure to the digital landscape proactively.

So, what are these parental controls actually? Here are their main types:

• Device-level controls are features built into directly your child’s devices: smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and even smart TVs. They offer ways to set time limits, restrict access to certain content, and monitor usage. These controls are often the easiest to access and manage for individual devices. Some examples are iOS Screen Time on iPhones and iPads and Android Digital Wellbeing.
• Router-level controls are a broader but less popular approach that works on certain Wi-Fi routers. Using this method, you can manage Internet access for all devices connected to the home network: set time limits, block websites or categories of content, or pause Internet access completely for the whole house. The latter can be a great way to support family time traditions. Configuring router-level controls may be tricky and require some technical knowledge.
• Parental control apps offer the most comprehensive control and activity monitoring. They provide detailed insights into app usage, visited websites, social media activity, calls, and whereabouts. You can also manually configure what sites your child can’t access and what apps they can’t use — the app will block all inappropriate content. I have a whole article dedicated to these apps for Android — you can find it here and choose the one that best suits your needs.

You can use these tools in combination or choose the most convenient one. Most importantly, with parental control, you can:

• Proactively manage your child’s screen time instead of arguing about excessive use of gadgets.
• Maintain consistency in rules. Once you’ve set them, parental controls enforce them automatically. No more having to constantly remind your child or feel like the “bad guy” for saying “time’s up.”
• Adjust limits based on your child’s age, the day of the week (such as stricter limits on school nights), and specific apps.
• Know what apps the child spends most time on, their website history, and overall screen time.
• Filter out inappropriate or harmful content.

So, how do you make the most out of your parental control tool? Let’s dive into the practical steps of setting it up and using it effectively.

Setting Up Parental Controls: A Guide

Before you touch a setting, you should talk to your child (however, some situations may be exceptions). They should understand why you place these screen limits. Explain that you care for your child and want to ensure they have enough time for other important activities like homework, sleep, and play. Make it a family discussion, not your sole decision. Listen to their perspective (within reason, of course!). Older children and teenagers can even participate in making the rules and establishing reasonable limits. They will feel more likely to cooperate if they set the rules themselves.

The next step is to choose a suitable tool. Decide which devices you want to control and explore available options. For example, router-level parental control is a great way to set limitations for all household devices at once, however, you will not be able to manage your child’s device once they leave home for school or walk.

Today’s market offers plenty of options for all devices. Read reviews, compare features (like time limits, app-specific controls, content filtering, and location tracking), and see which ones might best fit your family’s needs and budget.

The next step — setting realistic and age-appropriate time limits — is crucial. I recommend using the latest guidelines from a credible health organization, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). But remember to be flexible and consider your child’s needs and maturity level. Think about setting different limits for weekdays vs. weekends and potentially stricter limits on school nights compared to holidays.

Once you have chosen the tool and learned about screen time limits, it’s time to configure the settings. Here are the settings you are likely to see:

• Time limits per day
• App-specific limits — they allow managing time spent on specific apps like social media, games, or video streaming platforms.
• Downtime/bedtime schedules let you designate specific periods when devices are automatically locked or internet access is restricted. This helps establish healthy tech-free periods, such as sleep or family time.
• Website filtering for blocking inappropriate or harmful content.
• Location tracking.

But setting up the controls is only half of the battle. Consistency is the key to making your child understand and respect the boundaries you have set. Avoid making frequent exceptions or giving in to pressure from your child.

Screen time needs and habits will evolve over time, and so will parental control tools and features. That is why you should regularly review your parental controls. Are the limits still appropriate? Are there new apps or websites that need to be addressed? Ask your older kids how the limits work for them. Be willing to adapt the settings as they grow and demonstrate responsible digital behavior.

Beyond Parental Controls

However powerful your parental monitoring tool may be, remember that it is only a piece of the puzzle, not a complete solution. Fostering healthy screen habits requires a complex approach.

Start with yourself. What example do you show to your child? Our children are always watching us, and our behavior speaks volumes. If you’re constantly glued to your phone, scrolling through social media during meals or while “spending time” with your kids, you send a mixed message. Consider your screen time habits before setting limits for your child.

Screen-free home areas and time are also good methods to limit gadget exposure. For example, you can ban gadgets in the bedroom, at the dinner table, or during family gatherings. Having these established boundaries helps create expectations and reinforces the idea that there are times when screens are not welcome.

These boundaries will be easier to maintain if you offer engaging screen-free activities. Together with your child, explore offline hobbies, such as sports, arts, crafts, reading, board games, or simply face-to-face conversations — the list is endless. Help them discover the joys of the physical world and their imaginations. Besides, these hobbies can also become great bonding activities and provide a valuable alternative to solo screen time.

Final Thoughts

Limiting your child’s screen time can feel like a tough battle, but you have powerful allies: parental control tools. Using them in combination with open communication, screen-free time, and offline activities, you can help your child develop healthy digital habits. Parental control is not about eliminating technology, it is about empowering your kids to use it responsibly and mindfully and reclaiming valuable family time.