Please help with screen time issues - my fault!

amother

Peony

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 1:16 pm

Op, it's hard, I feel for you. I think that one reason the younger kids don't like toys is because they have this option, like others said if you stop cold turkey with them it'll be a rough couple weeks but then they will Rediscover their toys and it should be a lot easier. Then the toys will see more enticing to them just as they should.
On another note, and I don't mean to hijack this thread, does anybody have any suggestions for older kids who are on screens too much. I'm trying to find alternative things for them to spend their time with but as they get older and young teens it's harder especially for boys. Any creative after school ideas for them other than Sports please??

TwinsMommy

Wed, Oct 04 2023, 8:53 pm

amother Peony---- my autistic/adhd son is 16 and since he's homeschooling this year his school day is over by 1:30 or so. He has no friends and can't stand sports. He gets into things bit by bit and obsesses for a while and then moves on to something else. He'll memorize all the counties in every state, then obsess over memorizing the periodic table, etc.... he's currently obsessing over calligraphy markers and writing Japanese Kanji. We require 2 exercise sessions of him per week---- the gym with us or a walk with us. He'll do marble runs, lego, non fiction books, creating comics, organizing and collecting hotwheels cars (he's no longer into the track sets though), etc etc. Generally when he's on the computer he's on it to look up stuff about his obsession du jour. He's into Kanji, so he watches videos about that. He's into hotwheels this week, he watches videos about that. He enjoys trips to Target to obsess over the toy aisle, to the art store to obsess over the markers, and to the candy store to buy candy. If he were neurotypical I'd be encouraging getting together with friends, taking driving lessons, riding a bike, doing chores and helping cook/bake, and finding an afterschool activity. Hope that's helpful.

OP----- I spent YEARSSSSS being a cruise director for my autistic twins. I changed the activity every 20 minutes. We're reading together now. We're doing the play kitchen now. We're coloring now. Lots of moaning and complaining but they got used to it. When they complied with the other activities, I was able to schedule in SOME screen time. To make Shabbos and Yom Tov special with absolutely NO screen time, I saved magazines (Highlights, Ranger Rick) and special toys and books for those days. They're 16 now and one twin, despite autism, is thankfully cultivating some friendships which helps a lot. The other twin's behaviors are nice and calm and regulated when she's not around or occupied in a different room. I simply never cooked or cleaned or tried to do ANYTHING if they were both home. I had to be ON. It sucked.