How I Kicked My Preschooler’s Screen Addiction in 5 Days

The end began with me saying, “No.”

The end began with me saying, “No.”

As soon as I uttered this word, I saw my 4-year-old’s eyes widen in pure shock, his brain racing, trying to process the gravity of the situation. His body tensed up; I knew what was coming. In about 30 seconds or so, he would start trashing about wildly, arms and legs flailing in all directions. His high-pitched wails reverberated down the long corridors of the 8-carriage long train we were traveling on. Fellow commuters craned their necks to get a good look at the commotion. Others shot me a dirty look — control your son — was the message their eyes conveyed. I looked away. As a parent, I have been through more embarrassing situations.

No parent starts their parenting journey wanting to give their child a screen. But just like any addiction, it started in small doses. At first, I limited TV to half an hour on weekends. Then I gave in a little more when his younger sibling came along. We started signing him up for sports and other activities to keep him active. But then, he started asking to watch Youtube while traveling to and from classes. At the peak of his addiction, he would refuse a meal unless given screen time before and after.