So my son literally wakes up and asks for Roblox before breakfast. I set a 1 hour limit on school days and he loses it every single time. Yesterday he was crying saying all his friends are playing and he's missing out. I don't want to be the bad guy but this is getting ridiculous. Anyone else dealing with this? What's the play here?
The 1 hour limit on school days sounds reasonable, but I'd be curious what happens on weekends. My kids go crazy for screen time when they think I'm not paying attention. Have you tried replacing one of those Roblox slots with something hands-on? My sticker chart system works surprisingly well for redirecting the urge.
Sticker charts have been a lifesaver for screen time limits in our house. He earns stickers for staying off, and it actually works way better than just saying no.
Yeah, the 1 hour limit sounds solid but getting him off is brutal. We had to get my kids more invested in actual activities - once my son got into soccer practice, the Roblox obsession dropped like crazy.
One hour on school days is actually pretty reasonable, but the breakfast thing would drive me nuts. Maybe make breakfast off-limits for screens? Like food first, then Roblox after. Creates a natural boundary.
Have you tried giving him something else to do in the morning instead? My kids stopped asking for tablets when I started making a big deal about our breakfast routine. Changed the whole vibe of the morning.
Man, I feel this. Before breakfast though? That's the real red flag. My 9yo tries the same thing but we made a house rule: eat first, earn screen time. Took about a week of pushback but it stuck. The addiction is real at that age.
Just a heads up from someone who's been there - when kids wake up jonesing for a specific app like that, it might be worth sitting down and understanding what they actually love about it. Is it the games, the socializing with friends, the building aspect? Knowing that helps you find better alternatives or at least have a real conversation about it.
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The Roblox thing is brutal. My 9yo tried the same thing and I had to get firm about it. We moved screen time to after homework and dinner is done, no exceptions. It helped when I explained he can't play until X is finished. Made it less of a fight once he knew the rule.