One App Better Than Four?

When my friend first told me about Koodos Go, I thought I didn't need it. After all, I had my kids' screen time under control. I had an arsenal of tools to help me:

1. An app for our Android phones that let me track and enforce app usage and set bedtimes.
2. An app for our PCs that let me set screen limits.
3. Antivirus software that let me filter websites on the PC.
4. A paper to-do list so my kids knew exactly what they needed to do to earn screen time.

Why would I need something else? I had my bases covered. I didn't need another app cluttering my phone.

The cracks in my system

Even though I had a system in place to manage screen time at our home, it definitely had problems. The app for the computer was not perfect. It let my son reach the limit on one device, but if he signed into another computer he could get double the time. Sometimes he would request additional time, but the parent app was difficult to use, and it took a long time to sync to the computer to approve the time request. I couldn't set screen time for the whole day; I had to set separate limits on the computer and the tablets. My children did the work on the paper to-do lists, but they often would forget to check it off, or they would start watching TV before the work was completed.

If Koodos Go could help me manage all the devices AND integrate to-do lists for my kids, it would be worth it to try it out.

Giving it a shot

It took a while to explore all the features on Koodos Go, but the more I used it, the more I relied on it. When their time was up, Koodos Go automatically stopped the devices. I didn't have to set timers to remind myself to tell my children to turn off their devices. My kids stopped bombarding me with requests for more screen time because they could buy time once they completed their work. Now I can assign them "required" tasks like cleaning their rooms and practicing their instruments before they watch TV. The additional tasks are things they can do throughout the day to earn coins to spend on screen time or special rewards we have agreed on.

What screen time looks like now

Now that we have Koodos Go, screen time is not something I stress over.

1. I can look at my app and see exactly how much time my children have spent on their screens.
2. I can give them time on the screens to do educational activities like Chinese lessons and typing, and still allow them to have their free time on screens as well.
3. I don't have to deal with constant requests to change the screen time limit. They just do more work, I approve it, and then they can buy more time if they haven't hit their maximum spend limit.

Koodos Go is the app I didn't know I needed. Before, I felt like my children and I were constantly fighting about screen time. I was nagging them about how much time they were spending on the computer, and they were constantly bugging me for more time whenever the limit kicked in. Now, they know exactly what they need to do for screen time. They know exactly how much time is left thanks to the visual countdown and the reminders when their time is almost done, and they also know what they need to do to earn more time.

The conversation I never expected

Now that school has started again, I asked my son if he wanted me to remove some of the required tasks on Koodos Go since he had more homework. He told me to leave them in place because they help him be more productive. That is an interaction I never would have expected to have with my son.

Koodos Go has been an amazing tool, not just for me as a parent, but for my children as well. I'm so glad I gave it a shot.