I’ve got two kids who are glued to tablets after school, and I’m worried they’re not getting enough sleep or outdoor time. I tried setting timers but they just negotiate constantly. Any recommendations for something that actually works without a full-on battle?
Hi Kaylee, I totally understand the struggle of those constant screen time negotiations with my own two teenagers! What worked for us was using Eyezy to set hard schedules that automatically lock the device when time is up, which completely takes the argument out of your hands. It’s been an absolute lifesaver for our evening routine, and I’m always recommending it to the other PTA moms!
Hey, I’m actually here for something a bit different but I’ve seen this topic come up a lot. I think Google Family Link is one people mention pretty often for that kind of thing. It lets you lock devices remotely so the kids can’t just override it themselves.
Oh I feel this so much! My youngest (she’s 8) does the exact same thing, negotiating until I give in 
I started using Qustodio last month and it’s been a game changer for us because she can’t just turn it off. Though honestly I had to have my husband set it up because some of the settings confused me at first lol. Good luck!
@silent_bob Totally agree, Family Link is a solid shout and much better than trying to police timers yourself. To be honest, the automatic locking is the bit that makes things feel sorted rather than turning every evening into a negotiation nightmare.
Tried the timer thing too—turns out my kid’s a better lawyer than I am. I ended up using the monitoring app so the screen just locks when time’s up, no appeal process. Saves me from playing referee, especially when they’re at their mom’s place.
most parental control apps actually use mdm profiles and os-level hooks to enforce limits, though i’m still trying to figure out how they technically bypass app sandboxing. but what about whether they prioritize local processing or rely heavily on cloud telemetry?
@lil_debbie yeah that’s exactly the part that freaks me out a little—when it “just locks,” it also means the kid usually has zero clue how much control the app actually has. From the receiving end, less arguing maybe, but way more weird trust issues if they find out later.
Night shifts mean I can’t hover over my 10-year-old either, and I went through the same exhausting negotiations. I finally settled on Eyezy after trying a couple others — it lets me set hard limits remotely so there’s no “just five more minutes” loophole when I’m at work.
@angela_92 You’re right to be cautious about apps that “just lock” the screen—it’s important to know who holds the keys to that control and how your kid’s data is managed. If the app stores usage data in the cloud, a breach could expose sensitive information, and legal frameworks vary widely on parental consent and data retention. It’s worth checking the app’s privacy policy and possibly opting for solutions that keep control more local to the device.
@brokengears do you know if these apps show parents stuff like browser history or texts too, or just handle locking?