15 Signs Your Kid Is Addicted to Screen Time

My kids get more screen time than they probably should.

Because occasionally mommy needs time to get stuff done around the house without being asked what she’s doing fifty times in a row.

But how do you know if your child is spending too much time on your phone or tablet? Here are 15 signs (that are completely made up and have no medical standing whatsoever) your kid might be addicted:

1. You know the words to most of your kid’s favorite YouTube videos. Including at least one in a foreign language.

2. No matter how many times you clean the screen, it is always covered in tiny, greasy streaks.

3. You have chosen restaurants based solely on their WiFi availability.

4. Your memory is always full because your child is constantly playing with the camera. Right now, you probably have at least a hundred pictures of the floor and ceiling. And another hundred “selfies” they took making the same exact face.

5. You know what Surprise Egg videos are. You don’t understand them. Or why they have millions of views. But you’re aware of their existence.

6. You’ve learned to disable in-app purchases. The hard way.

7. You’ve learned to log out of all social media accounts so your kids don’t post on them. The hard way.

8. Your child has a nickname for their favorite electronic device.

9. You own at least one back-up electronic device just in case the battery dies.

10. In fact, you own at least three chargers (including one for the car) to avoid it dying at all costs.

11. At some point, your kid has tried to “swipe” everything, from the TV to magazines to picture frames.

12. You never know where anything is because your child is constantly moving all the apps into a single folder.

13. You simply don’t understand how anyone ever potty trained before smart phones and tablets were invented.

14. The first words your child learned to read were “Skip Ad.”

15. When it freezes or something goes wrong, you ask your child to fix it for you.

You might be one of the parents who limit screen time — which I both respect and admire. But if you’ve ever tried to call tech support with a kid hanging from each leg, you understand. Any parent who has tried to subdue a hangry toddler while waiting for their food at a restaurant understands. Sometimes having peace is better than being right. And, sometimes, some extra screen time is better than losing what’s left of your sanity.

Related post: Raising my Kid on 6 hours of TV a Day