Guides
Screen time guides for parents
Practical, honest advice on screen time, chores and routines — grounded in guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the WHO and the CDC, with sources on every page.
Guides
- Chores
How to set up a chore chart that actually works
A step-by-step guide to a kids' chore chart that lasts past week two: age-appropriate chores, clear definitions of done, rewards that don't backfire, and a weekly review.
- Family agreement
Screen time agreements: a template for families
How to write a family screen time agreement with your kids, what to include, and a free printable template you can fill in together. Based on AAP Family Media Plan guidance.
- Transitions
What to do when screen time ends in tears
Why kids melt down when screen time ends, and what helps: warnings, natural stopping points, predictable limits, calm-down strategies and what to do in the moment.
- iPhone setup
Using Apple Screen Time with Family Sharing: a parent's walkthrough
A plain-English walkthrough for setting up Apple Screen Time on your child's iPhone with Family Sharing: child accounts, time allowances, schedules, content restrictions and the passcode.
- Research
Rewards vs. consequences: what the research says
Do rewards for kids backfire? A plain-English look at the research on rewards, praise and consequences — and how to use screen time as a reward without undermining motivation.
Free printable: family screen-time agreement
A one-page agreement to fill in together: screen-free times, daily limits, how extra time is earned, and what parents commit to. No sign-up.
Open the printable agreementPopular topics
Chores for screen time
How to set up a chores-for-screen-time system your kids understand: what to count, how many minutes to give, how to handle approvals, and how to keep it from becoming a bribe.
Screen time rules for kids
Practical screen time rules for kids, grounded in current American Academy of Pediatrics guidance: where, when, how much, and what happens at zero — plus how to make the rules stick.
Homework before video games
How to set up a homework-first rule for video games and screens: a simple after-school routine, what counts as 'done', and how to stop the nightly negotiation.
Screen time app for kids
Sprigtime is a free iPhone parental controls app where kids earn screen time for chores, homework and routines. Built on Apple Screen Time. No account, no ads, no tracking.
How earning screen time works
How an earned screen-time system works: daily allowance, earning minutes, spending, borrowing, deductions and a ledger kids can read. With examples from Sprigtime.
Screen time by age
Screen time recommendations by age from the AAP (2026 policy), WHO and CDC — with sleep and activity needs, how much time kids actually spend, and practical limits for each stage.