Dear mental health professional,
I can’t get my son to do anything that isn’t related to electronics. He is always on video games or asking to use my phone to watch YouTube. I can’t get him to help around the house, clean up after himself, or do his homework. He will even get on electronics after I send him to bed, so it is starting to impact his sleep. What do I do?
Sincerely,
Frustrated
Dear Frustrated,
This is a very common complaint I hear from parents in my office. A good first step can be setting a timeframe that they are able to use electronics and then allow the opportunity to earn more time through completing household tasks. For example, “you can have 1-hour of time to spend on electronics per day, and you can earn an extra 15-minutes for each chore you complete.” It can also help diffuse some of the negative interactions by having something neutral enforcing the limit, so you are not always being the target of frustration when the time is up. There are many apps that can help with this or just setting a simple household timer would work. It is important to be consistent with carrying out the routines and limits for it to truly be effective. Behaviors often tend to get worse before we see improvements, as children adjust to new limits being set, so be sure to stick with it. CommonSenseMedia.org is a great resource for parents to utilize regarding media in general and ensuring children are utilizing media that is appropriate for their age. If you feel that you or your child needs further support or resources, feel free to contact Zepf Center at 419-841-7701.
Sincerely,
Leslie LeFevre, LPCC-S
Youth Therapy Manager at Zepf Center
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