Bringing Back 90s Screen Time in Our Home

Bring Back the 90’s

Sometimes I wish my kids could experience the kind of 90's childhood I had. Playing outside until the street lights came on. Spending the whole day jumping Double Dutch. Sitting on the front steps with my friends talking about absolutely nothing.

I can’t bring the 90s back for my kids. But I can try to raise them in a way that reflects the parts of that childhood that mattered most. And one of the biggest ways I do that is through screen time.

What does screen time look like in our house? A lot like what it looked like for me growing up in the 90s, when TV, movies, and video games were a big part of my life—but not the entire day. Saturday morning cartoons. Garfield and Bozo the Clown before school. Running home to catch Tiny Toons and Animaniacs after school. And of course TGIF on Fridays. Back then, you had to wake up early or be home at a certain time to catch your show. These kids don’t have to do that anymore since everything is available whenever they want it. But the biggest way our screen time still mirrors the 90s is in two simple ways: NO SOCIAL MEDIA and NO PERSONAL DEVICES. But those are'nt the only screen limitations my kids have.

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Before I dig into how we manage screen time in our home, here are the 3 simple changes that make the biggest difference for us.

1. No personal devices.

I don’t know about y’all, but I grew up in a house where I had to share everything with my sisters—the TV, the phone, and our boombox. It was something we were used to, and it taught us how to share and how to negotiate. In my house now, no one has their own tablet or phone. We do have a shared family tablet that they can use every once in a while, but it isn’t something they have constant access to.

2. Take it away, hide it of you need too.

Video games and tablets are only for the weekend. Once the weekend is over, the console or tablet goes in my closet. Out of sight, out of mind. It’s still on my son’s mind, of course, but he’s not hounding me for it every day.

3. Mimic the behavior you want to see.

I can’t tell my kids to get off screens if they constantly see me on one. During the day, they don’t see me scrolling, I save that for after their bedtime. I also started reading again at night during the week instead of watching TV, and over time that’s naturally led to them picking up books and winding down the same way.

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Disclaimer:

This isn’t some magic formula, and it may or may not work for your family. All kids are different, and all families are different. What works for us might not work for you, and that’s okay. This is simply what’s working for our family right now, and I know that as kids grow and seasons of life change, our approach may change too. I also understand that sometimes you’re in a place where you need to lean a little more on screens. That being said, I just hope that sharing what works for us can be helpful in some way.

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Why We Keep Screens Low

A couple years ago, we were going through a tough time caring for a dying parent and a newborn baby, so I became really liberal with my son’s screen time. I soon realized the extra peace I thought I was getting wasn’t worth watching him slowly change. He lost interest in playing with his Legos and action figures and didn’t care as much about going outside. Everything he used to love started to feel boring because it didn’t move at the same pace as the games on his iPad. That’s when we knew some changes had to be made.

And the more I’ve learned about screen time since then, the more confident I feel about keeping it limited. Research continues to show that excessive screen time can affect kids’ developing brains, both cognitively and emotionally. It’s been linked to trouble focusing, language delays, increased anxiety, sleep problems, and more behavioral challenges, including aggression and difficulty regulating emotions. After seeing those changes firsthand, I’m not interested in gambling with that again.

Even Tech Leaders Limit Screens at Home

One thing that really confirmed my feelings about screens is how many tech executives limit their own kids’ access. These are the same people who built the products and platforms that we are consumed by.

Steve Jobs famously didn’t let his kids use iPads, and Mark Zuckerberg has said his kids mainly use devices for things like video calls. They understand the dangers. They understand how addictive and attention-grabbing screens are designed to be. So if the people closest to the technology still put boundaries around it at home, I’m going to take note.  

What the Research Actually Says About Screen Time

This isn’t just a parenting preference. There’s a growing amount of research looking at how screen use affects kids’ brains, behavior, and emotional health.

Here are some of the findings that stood out to me:

Mental health and behavior

• Teens with high daily screen time were much more likely to show symptoms of depression (25.9% vs 9.5%) and anxiety (27.1% vs 12.3%) compared to those with lower screen use. CDC.gov

  
  

• Children who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face about double the risk of poor mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression. hhs.gov

Attention, focus, and emotional regulation

• Higher screen use has been associated with lower curiosity, lower self-control, more distractibility, and more difficulty finishing tasks in children. American College of Pediatricians

• Research following over 9,000 children found those with more screen time showed more mental health issues, focus challenges, and impulsive behavior over time. Psychology Today

Language and development

• For every 30-minute increase in handheld screen use, researchers found a 49% increased risk of expressive speech delay in toddlers. American Academy of Pediatrics

• Studies show increased screen exposure is associated with delays in language development and fewer caregiver interactions, which are critical for early learning. National Library of Medicine

Sleep and physical health

• Excessive screen use is linked to poorer sleep quality, which then increases anxiety and depression risk. National Library of Medicine

Our Family Screen Rules (The Non-Negotiables)

Because of all this, we have a few non-negotiables that apply to everyone in our house. They’re meant to protect our kids’ attention spans, sleep, creativity, and mental health. Screens aren’t automatically bad, but too much screen time, or the wrong kind, really can affect the whole household.

Universal Family Rules:

• No Roblox

• No social media

• No YouTube

• No video games during the week

• No loud, fast, mindless shows

• No screens while eating

• No TV until after dinner

What Screen Time Looks Like for My Toddler

• TV only

• No tablet or phone

• No YouTube

• Screen time is limited to at most two hours a day

• T.V. time on average 5 days a week

• Shows stay simple and slower-paced (PBS Kids, Peppa Pig)

For my toddler, the only screen she uses is the TV. She doesn’t have a tablet, she doesn’t use a phone, and she doesn’t watch shows on YouTube. I keep her screen time limited to no more than two hours a day, and her show choices simple (PBS Kids and Peppa Pig).

My toddler watches TV purely for entertainment, although I know she’s still learning while she watches. I know Ms. Rachel is a favorite for many families, in the same way Sesame Street was for me growing up, but I prefer for her language and communication skills to develop through real-life interaction. Talking with family and friends, being read to, singing together, and engaging in pretend play feel more meaningful to me at this stage than learning from a screen.

What Screen Time Looks Like for My 6 and 9 Year Old

My older two have a little more freedom, but I still monitor what they’re watching. Netflix and Prime have plenty of shows that feel like they were quickly thrown together just to keep kids occupied. Slop is not an option in this house. I’m fine with silly shows—SpongeBob is a classic, Teen Titans is hilarious, and The Loud House is pretty cool too. But some of the shows on Netflix and Prime feel rushed and are just loud for the sake of being loud, only to keep kids’ eyes glued to the TV.

They don’t watch TV every day, and during the week it’s limited to usually about 2–3 hours total. On the weekends, they can have more time if we don’t have anything going on. Saturday and Sunday are the only days they’re allowed to wake up and turn the TV on. It’s also the only days they can play video games.

Tablets + Video Games in Our House

We do have an iPad, but it’s a house iPad, not a personal one. And honestly, I prefer my son to play games on his Playstation rather than disappear into random tablet games. With the Playstation, I know what he’s playing and who he’s playing with, and it feels easier to monitor.

He doesn’t have any shooting games, mostly sports games and Pokémon. My daughter isn’t super into video games, but she’ll sometimes play with her brother. On the iPad, we keep the apps intentional. We have Minecraft, word games like Scrabble and Wordle, and strategy games like The Room and Monument Valley. I don’t allow mindless games that are basically just tapping or shooting things.

Screens Are for Home (With a Few Exceptions)

One of our biggest rules is that screens are for home. I don’t want my kids walking around stores or restaurants with devices in their faces. I want them to learn how to exist in public, look around, and be present, even if it means being bored sometimes. When we’re in the car, I want them to pay attention to their surroundings or just sit there thinking, dreaming, and imagining.

That said, we do have exceptions. If we are on a car trip longer than three hours, then yes, they can use a device, but not immediately. They usually get it after a couple hours, not the second we start driving. And occasionally, if we’re at a restaurant and everyone has finished eating, and my husband and I want to sit and talk a little longer, we’ll hand over our phones. Not every time, but sometimes.

What We Do Instead of Screens

Remember what you did growing up before iPads and smartphones? That’s the kind of childhood I’m trying to recreate for my kids. Not a perfectly curated, activity-filled day, just a life where play, imagination, and everyday interests come naturally. We keep it simple with outside play, board and card games, art, books, and open-ended toys.

When you get out of their way, kids figure out what to do on their own. Sometimes it’s messy, like digging a Barbie pool in the backyard. Sometimes it’s a little risky, like sliding down the basement stairs in a cardboard box. But that’s how many of us grew up, and for the most part, we turned out alright.

Everyday Activities Kids Can Do (No Screens Needed)

• Play outside (bike riding, chalk, scooters, backyard games)

• Build with LEGO or blocks

• Draw, paint, or color

• Make crafts with simple supplies

• Read independently or look through picture books

• Flip through magazines or comic books

• Play with dolls, action figures, or figurines

• Create pretend games or “scenes”

• Play board games

• Play card games (Uno, Go Fish, etc.)

• Do puzzles

• Listen to audiobooks

• Listen to music and dance

• Help cook or bake

• Help prep food

• Help clean or organize

• Play in a play kitchen

• Sensory play (playdough, kinetic sand, water play)

• Build forts with blankets and pillows

• Journal or draw in a notebook

• Nature walks

• Collect rocks, leaves, or sticks

• Garden or water plants

• Practice a sport (shoot hoops, kick a ball, etc.)

• Practice a hobby (art, building, music)

• Write letters or make cards

• Rearrange their room or toys

• Play “store,” “school,” or “house”

• Sit and be bored long enough to invent something (my favorite)

It Might Be Hard at First

If you start pulling back on screens, it will feel rough in the beginning. Kids are used to constant stimulation, instant entertainment, and always having something to click on. When that suddenly isn’t there, you’ll hear A LOT of complaints and possibly tears and tantrums. They’ll say they’re bored. They’ll push back. That’s normal.

But stick with it.

When screens have been a big part of daily life, stepping away from them can feel uncomfortable at first because kids are so used to the pace and stimulation. It takes time for their attention, creativity, and patience to reset. That doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means you’re changing a habit.

And for me, this isn’t about punishment or control. It’s about protecting their mental and emotional health. Too much screen time can affect moods, sleep, focus, and behavior, and I’ve seen the difference in my own kids when we pull back.

The key is consistency. If screens are the backup plan every time they say they’re bored, they’ll keep reaching for them. But if you hold the boundary, they eventually adjust. They start playing again. They start creating again. They start figuring things out.

It takes time, but it’s worth it.