1) agree on the last 5 minutes; 2) finish the game or video; 3) turn off the screen; 4) put the device in its place; 5) choose another activity.
Free printable chart
One page, US Letter, with a box for every step and every day of the week. Put it on the fridge and let your child tick the boxes.
Prefer A4? It prints fine with “fit to page”.
The 5 steps, with a tip for you
- Agree on the last 5 minutesParent tip: A warning is better than suddenly turning it off.
- Finish the game or videoParent tip: Let the child press stop by themselves.
- Turn off the screen
- Put the device in its placeParent tip: A regular place reduces arguments.
- Choose another activityParent tip: Offer 2 options to choose from.
Make it a quest instead of a reminder
Instead of repeating the instruction, start with a tiny story. In Mess Monsters this routine opens like this: “Chaos Blob sees that screen time is almost over. Shall we help finish without a storm?”
You stay the game master. Your child does the real step, you confirm it on your phone, and Chaos Blob gets a little happier with every step. The phone stays with the adult; the routine happens in the real world.
Run this routine in Mess Monsters
This routine is part of Mess Monsters Premium. The core routines are free. You can also make your own quest by describing the routine in your own words.
