This Jump Starter is taken from the Schedules page. It is an example of how to schedule a privilege. Apply the steps below to your child. Or, if you prefer, try these steps out on yourself. If you can control your own screen time, you might find it’s easier to control your child’s screen time.

Here are the steps:

Think of screen time as a privilege that your child is allowed to access every day. Decide how much screen time your child is allowed to have “for free,” no questions asked. Most pediatricians recommend a maximum of two hours of screen time per day. Start out with that. Or, make it easier. Count up how many hours of screen time your child has now. Then, reduce it by one hour. Example: If your child is using recreational screen time for 5 hours per day, schedule your child for 4 hours maximum. If your child uses screen time for 3 hours per day, schedule 2 hours maximum.

Break up your child’s screen time. Try 30-minute segments, or maybe 60-minute segments.

Schedule screen time by the clock. Your child needs to know the start time and the stop time for screen time.

Practice.

You and your child need to practice turning the screen off when it’s time to turn it off. Your child needs to wait until the right time before they are allowed to turn the screen on. Here is where the rubber hits the road: Your child has to tolerate waiting until the right time before screen time privileges are allowed start. Your child also has to tolerate it when the screen gets shut off because screen time has come to an end. Practice the above for a 2 to 3 weeks.

Notice what changes.

Does your child seem to feel better? Parents sometimes notice that they child seems to feel better when screen time is controlled and also when it’s reduced.

Does your child complain less when you shut the screen off? Not complaining takes some practicing. You should notice a difference within a few days.

Do you have more time to sit and talk with your child? Now that there’s more time in the schedule, try setting up some special time with your child

Did you not notice very much? Don’t worry if you don’t see these changes. Just cutting back on screen time is a big step forwards.

Next steps

Whether or not you were successful, consider one of the other objectives on the Schedules page. Can they help you schedule your child’s other privileges. You can practice start times and stop times for other privileges. By practicing those, can you control your child’s screen time better?

Consider a different Jump Starter. Whether or not you were successful with screen time, try a different jump starter. Does a different jump starter get you to success? Can you then work your way back to scheduling your child’s screen time?

Look at your Stumbling Blocks. More than anything else, your stumbling blocks will teach you about how to become your child’s best teacher. Pay attention to your stumbling blocks and discover what they are teaching you.

Take a break.

Let’s say you are not experiencing success. You can take a break. Read some of the other pages of the IEP for Home. Discuss your child with your child’s other parent, a friend, a coach, or a professional. Put some time aside for you. Have an intention to return to the IEP for Home when you are ready.

This Jump Starter is taken from the Sleeping Page.

Decide what’s a good wake up time for your child. That’s right: Figure out the wake up time first. Choose a wake up time that works well for your child and for your family. You can worry about the bedtime later.

Wake your child up at the same time every day for 2 to 3 weeks, weekends included. No sleeping in!

After a week or so, start noticing when your child gets sleepy in the evening. That’s going to end up being your child’s bedtime. You can schedule your child’s bedtime if you are ready to do so.

What to do about co-sleeping.

Some children are dependent on co-sleeping. They can only sleep when lying next to you or somebody. At first, you might need to let your child sleep in your bed with you. Build consistent sleeping habits. Then, look at the Sleeping page and learn about how to teach your child to sleep independently.

What to do with Naps.

If your child is older than a preschooler, make sure there are no naps. Your child should not sleep during the day. This means no sleeping during car rides and no sleeping at school. Avoid car rides if you can, or keep them short. Let your child’s teacher know that no naps are allowed at school.

Naps that are hard to control. If your child sleeps a lot during the day, you might need to slowly reduce the amount of time spent napping or sleeping. Try reducing the nap by 30 minutes. In a day or two, reduce the nap again by another 30 minutes. See if you can slowly get rid of the nap altogether.

Naps for young children. If your child is still a preschooler and needs a nap, only allow one nap. Make sure that the nap has a consistent start and end time. Don’t let your child sleep more than the right amount of time. It could be one hour, 1.5 hours, or 2 hours. Don’t let your child nap for longer than 2 hours.

Notice what changes.

Is your child sleeping better?

Are you sleeping better? Are you feeling more wellness?

Next steps

Consider additional objectives from the Sleeping page. Are there any other objectives that inspire you?

Consider a different jump starter.

Look at your Stumbling Blocks. Let’s say you were not successful. Instead of focusing on success, focus on your Stumbling blocks. More than anything else, your stumbling blocks will teach you about how to become your child’s best teacher. Pay attention to your stumbling blocks and discover what they are teaching you.

Take a break.

Let’s say you are not experiencing success. You can take a break. Read some of the other pages of the IEP for Home. Discuss your child with your child’s other parent, a friend, a coach, or a professional. Put some time aside for you. Have an intention to return to the IEP for Home when you are ready.

This Jump Starter is taken from the Eating page. You can use this jump starter for overweight children, underweight children, picky eaters, and grazers. This Jump starter is only about scheduling. When you read the Eating page, you’ll learn about how to teach your child to eat healthy foods.

Schedule your child’s access to food

Schedule meals. Schedule all meals, seven days per week. If this is too much, try scheduling only supper for seven days per week. If this is also too much, schedule supper 1 to 3 days per week.

Schedule snacks. Decide if your child will get one, two, or three snacks per day. Schedule the snack times.

Stick to the times that you chose. Go by the clock. Your child needs to know the start time for each meal and each snack. Your child needs to wait until the right start time before they are allowed a meal or a snack.

Snacks are limited to one piece of food. You will have to choose what the snack portion looks like. Keep the snack portion consistent.

Meals should last 20 minutes only. If you are enjoying these meals, you can extend them to 30 minutes. Your child needs to know the stop time for each meal.

Meals and snacks are scheduled separate from screen time. The two cannot occur at the same time.

Practice this schedule for one or two months

Notice what changes.

Are you spending more time with your child?

Are you eating together now?

Is your child a better conversationalist?

Is your child starting to change their food preferences?

Next steps

Whether or not you were successful, consider additional objectives from the Eating page. Can the other objectives on the Eating page increase your success with scheduling meals and snacks?

Whether or not you were successful, consider a different jump starter. Can a different jump starter help you experience success with scheduling meals and snacks?

Look at your stumbling blocks. Let’s say you were not successful. Try focusing on your Stumbling blocks. More than anything else, your stumbling blocks will teach you about how to become your child’s best teacher. Pay attention to your stumbling blocks and discover what they are teaching you.

Take a break.

Let’s say you are not experiencing success. You can take a break. Read some of the other pages of the IEP for Home. Discuss your child with your child’s other parent, a friend, a coach, or a professional. Put some time aside for you. Have an intention to return to the IEP for Home when you are ready.

This Jump Starter is taken from the Positive Relationships Page. The objective here is to schedule special time with your child.

Set up special time

Figure out what you and your child can do together that’s fun. Start out by choosing something that your child thinks is fun, and do that. It’s best if you choose something that allows the two of you to talk and interact. If needed, you can use a screen-based activity. When possible, try something that does not require a screen.

Do a fun activity once per day. It does not need to last long. Fifteen minutes is a good start.

Schedule your special time. Stick to the scheduled time. If it’s too hard to fit the fun activity into the schedule every day, try three or four days per week.

Notice what changes.

Are you enjoying your child’s company more?

Do you seem to be less frustrated with your child?

Is your child less frustrated with you?

Next steps.

Whether or not you were successful, consider additional objectives from the Positive Relationships page. Can the other objectives on the Positive Relationships increase your success with special time? Should you set up special time for yourself, with another adult instead?

Consider a different Jump Starter

Whether or not you were successful, consider a different jump starter. Can a different jump starter help you experience success with scheduling special time?

Look at your stumbling blocks.

Let’s say you were not successful. Try focusing on your Stumbling blocks. More than anything else, your stumbling blocks will teach you about how to become your child’s best teacher. Pay attention to your stumbling blocks and discover what they are teaching you.

Take a break.

Let’s say you are not experiencing success. You can take a break. Read some of the other pages of the IEP for Home. Discuss your child with your child’s other parent, a friend, a coach, or a professional. Put some time aside for you. Have an intention to return to the IEP for Home when you are ready.

Schedule something for yourself. Here are some other things that you can schedule. They can serve as a source of inspiration:

Start scheduling the things that you really want to do. Schedule a phone call with a friend. Schedule a day when you’ll bake a treat for yourself.

Schedule something that you really don’t want to do. For example, schedule a time to clean out the area under your sink. Schedule a time to fix that piece of broken furniture.

Next, try out scheduling something that you will do every day. For example, schedule your sleeping time. Or, schedule your eating times. Even better, schedule your screen time and stick to that. Practice following your own schedule. Take a few weeks. Notice how the schedule changes you. Then, consider one of the Jump Starters above for your child.