If you will not be home, you can always change the password daily and send it to them remotely once you’re ready to give them access.
You can also schedule family time or outdoor play that must be completed before your child can use the computer. Tell your child that everything on the list must be done before they use the computer for leisure. When you get home each day, ensure that all is complete; establish consequences if they are not. Make sure that your co-parent or other guardians are all on the same page about the rules, expectations, and consequences.
If possible, have one computer for homework use and one for leisure so you can be sure what they are working on. Block any gaming or social media sites on the homework-only computer. If you are worried about your child using the laptop in their room when you are not there, lock the charger or battery up at night and give it to them when you get home from work.
In the beginning, you might try giving your child a 15 minute warning announcing that their time is about to be up. Once your child is old enough, teach them how to manage their own computer time. For instance, if your 10-year-old is playing games on the computer, teach them to set a timer with a 5-minute warning so they can finish the level and log off before their time runs out.
Listen to them without interrupting. There may be something that they’ve been wanting to share with you, so come to the conversation with a kind and concerned demeanor. Oftentimes, children don’t realize when they’re engaging in escape/avoidance behaviors. You may have to float the idea as a possibility for them to think about and have a few conversations about this.
For instance, if they are caught using the computer for longer than allowed, take away the computer for one day. Let them rely on their textbooks when completing any homework.
If they feel that their bad behavior will not be punished, then they will not care about the consequences and may lose respect for you.
Allow your child to pick the game or see if they have any ideas about activities they’d like to do. Encourage your child to read books, make crafts, or do other hands-on activities like building a robot or playing with Legos. Remember that it is okay for them to be bored and that this is healthy and fosters creativity and self-soothing.
Plan a vacation that will be completely technology-free.
Alternatively, your child can learn to play a musical instrument or participate in another extracurricular activity.
You might say “So, you mentioned there was an art club on campus and I know you look up artwork online a lot. Have you thought about joining that? I wouldn’t mind picking you up later on the days that they meet. ” Many communities also have tabletop gaming leagues with age-appropriate interactive games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! that children as young as 5 can play.
