Family Media Plan Quickstart
Make screen rules explicit, not emotional
Builds a simple family media plan aligned to pediatric guidance. Without explicit rules, phones and tablets take over and conflict escalates. This produces a short plan with rules, zones, exceptions, and a one-week pilot.
INGREDIENTS
PROMPT
Create a family media plan for my household. Include: - Screen-free zones and times - Daily screen allowance by age - Co-viewing rules for younger kids - Exception list (travel, medical, video chat) - A printable summary Kids' ages: [list ages] Biggest screen problem right now: [describe]
How It Works
The AAP recommends limiting media for ages 2-5 to about 1 hour/day of quality
content, avoiding screens 1 hour before bedtime, and creating a Family Media Plan.
Without shared rules, screens displace sleep, play, and connection — and every
negotiation becomes a battle. This recipe makes the rules visible and shared.
What You Get
- Two non-negotiable rules: screen-free meals + screen-free 60 minutes before bed
- A daily allowance window (e.g., 30-60 min after homework)
- A co-viewing rule for younger kids (adult present, talk about content)
- An exception list (travel, medical, video chat with family)
- A posted plan and 7-day review
Setup Steps
- List kids' ages and your household "high-risk" times (morning rush, before bed)
- Set two non-negotiables: screen-free meals + screen-free 60 minutes before bedtime
- Define a daily allowance window (e.g., 30-60 minutes after homework)
- Add a co-use rule for younger kids: adult present, talk about content
- Decide exceptions (travel, medical, video chat with family)
- Post the rules visibly and review after 7 days
Tips
- Kids fight less over devices when there's a posted rotation rule
- Bedtime drifting later is often the first signal the plan needs tightening
- Dad modeling matters — if you're on your phone at dinner, the plan falls apart
- Pairs well with "Phone Dock Dad Hour" for the parent side of the equation