The Gleam Chores For Screen Time Chart

Before you install and start using the Gleam App, it is important to reach an agreement with your children about the offline chores and online activities that could earn them the screen time.

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Our chart is available as an interactive google sheet here. Make your own copy and use at will!

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Below, you can see an example of our chores-for-screen-time chart. Note how screen time (like games and movies) can be earned both by completing offline chores, as well as online learning.

Chores For Screen Time Chart: FAQ

Why do we need to sign the chores for screen time chart, and what grandpa has to do with it?

The first step to swich from time-control to earn-your-screen-time approach, is to reach an agreement with your child on what constitues entertainment screen time, and how it might be earned.Completing a 'formal' agreement is a very empowering experience for the child, and you get an early buy in to the approach.Consistency is key!
And so, all caregivers that might be spending time with your child without your presence should be involved, informed and onboard.

What are Unconditional Free Time Minutes on the Gleam Chore Chart?

When we first devised the system, we wanted to make our kids to start earning their screen time from the very first minute.What we realized, is that just like ourselves - kids need some time to wake up, and just like ourselves, they would like to catch up on their phones, even before breakfast.Of course this is entirely optional, but if your child is used to spending a lot of time on their phones right from the get-go, consider allowing some unconditial free time in the morning at least for the first few days/weeks of switching to earning screen time.

How do Offline Chores for Screen Time work?

This is where you should consider the different activities you would love your child to do every day. Offline, and harness their motivation for screens to complete these with no argument.
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We wrote about house chores and digital kids in our blog post here.
For us it was getting them to tidy up their room, help a bit around the house, walk the dog, meet with a friend (outside), and read a book. What would you like your kid to do offline every day?We find that for kids who are very motivated towards their smartphones - respond very well to these conditions and are actually happy to have a 'reason' to disconnect, and go play in the real world!

You will need to manage chore completion by yourself, or you can use Gleam, which enables kids to report completion with a picture in app, and once approved by parent - automatically opens the pre-agreed-upon time.

How does Online Learning for Screen time works?

In one of our blog posts, we wrote about how screen time can be a powerhouse of learning, connecting, and creating.
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Think about your own screen time: surely part of it is spent on social media and youtube shorts, but how about the time you spend working on your phone, or learning something new?
We believe that kids should have the opportunity to discover the educational power of their digital devices. By implementing a daily routine, where time spend in educational apps earns time on entertainment apps can lead to healthy habit development, and become an empowering experience.

Gleam supports online-learning chores automatically: once the child completes the pre-defined time in an educational app of choice, it autoatically provides access to entertainment apps for the pre-agreed length of time.

What are 'Unlimited Activities' on the Gleam Chore Chart?

This one is especially useful to consider for activities that could be repeated several times a day.
For example, our kids love to stay in touch with their friends via WhatsApp. So we agreed, that they would need to spend 5 minutes in a math app, in order to earn 15 minutes of interaction on WhatsApp.

Where can I find good educational apps for my kids?

We recommend to visit our friends at the Educational App Store.

Educational App Store is a discovery, review and recommendation platform for educational apps and websites. All of its apps and websites are certified and reviewed by professionally experienced teachers, to help parents and educators progress a younger child's education.

Is Gleam a chores-for-screen-time app?

Yes! Gleam is a 'chores for screen time' app that enables kids to earn screen time for completing chores. In addition, it supports online learning activities, which can automatically earn them additional screen time.