Last week, we tried something a bit rogue: we made our kids earn their tablet time.
During the week, we have a no-tablets rule. And to be fair, it works pretty well. Sure, they binge on TV a bit instead, but at least we can see what they’re watching, and they’re not locked into that zombie-scroll trance.
But weekends? The rules had turned a bit chaotic.
The Problem: Weekend iPad Binge Mode
We’d gone from a “couple of hours” to... I don’t even know anymore. They know weekends mean tablets, and once they’re on them, it’s all they want to do.
No interest in going outside. No games. No arts and crafts. Just: “Can I have my iPad now?” on loop until you eventually give in and question every decision you’ve ever made.
So, we decided to shake things up.
The Experiment: Jobs for Minutes
My wife wrote out a little sheet with jobs they could do around the house. Normal stuff - Make the bed. Tidy their room. Clean the sink. You know, the kind of jobs we’d rather not do ourselves.
Every job was worth a few minutes of screen time. And we added a cheeky bonus: 15 extra minutes if they could get through the whole list without arguing (a miracle-level achievement in our house).
Because it was new, they absolutely smashed it. If this had been a task on The Apprentice, Alan Sugar would have hired them both. They even started inventing extra jobs to earn more minutes. One of them attempted the hoovering for an extra five, and look, the result was an absolute mess, but she gave it a go, so she got the minutes.
In the end, they each earned about an hour. I’ve genuinely never seen the bathroom sink cleaned with such focus and pride.
As of writing, it’s full of toothpaste spit again, but it was nice while it lasted.
The Response: Mixed (and That’s Fair)
I posted about it online, and the comments rolled in.
Loads of parents loved the idea. Some were already doing something similar. Others said it gave them a new way to think about weekend routines. Some were unsure, and honestly, that’s probably where I land too.
But then Jo Frost, aka Supernanny, was far from impressed.
She reckons it’s more bribery than parenting. That kids should contribute to the household because they’re part of the family, not because they’re getting paid in iPad minutes.
I definitely see her point. But aren’t we also teaching them that work comes with rewards? Or should they just be doing these jobs anyway?
The Bits I’m Still Wrestling With
Will this now be the expectation?
“Dad, I tidied the lounge - how many minutes is that worth?”
Have we accidentally built a small capitalist society in our living room?
To be honest, if the house is tidier, do I care?
Was it just the novelty?
It worked this weekend because it was new. But in a few weeks, will it still be exciting? Or will I be managing a full-time negotiation system just to get someone to carry out the recycling?
A few parents said it was a five-minute wonder.
Is it bribery or just life?
It didn’t feel like bribery. More like: you do the work, you get the reward - just like in real life.
But I get that not every family interaction should come with a “what’s in it for me” mindset.
Does it depend on the kid?
Some kids thrive with this kind of structure. Others push back hard.
So maybe it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Maybe it’s trial and error, which, let’s be honest, is the unofficial job description of parenting anyway.
So… Is It a Win?
Right now? Yeah, I think so. The house was cleaner, the kids were buzzing from ticking things off, and tablet time felt earned instead of automatic.
But we’re not turning into a points-based economy where every act of kindness has a price tag. If it starts heading that way, we’ll bin the whole thing and try something else.
I’m not raising two tiny CEOs who won’t put their plates away without a signed contract and 20 minutes of Roblox.
Or maybe that’s a useful trait in today’s entrepreneurial world?
The Takeaway
Screen time is a minefield. It sneaks up slowly, then suddenly you’re living with two small tech addicts who act like you’ve committed war crimes if the Wi-Fi drops.
If you’re in that boat, something like this “jobs for minutes” system might be worth trying.
Or it might completely flop.
That’s parenting, isn’t it? You try something, tweak it, survive the meltdown, then try again.
But at least these little experiments get us talking and just get us trying to figure it out.
So, what do you think? genius idea or low-key bribery?
Has anything worked for you?