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Stopping Screen Time

Roo Bloom · Social Stories · roobloom.com

  1. Watching my showI am watching my favourite show on the tablet.
  2. A warning firstDad tells me, “Five more minutes, then the tablet goes off.”
  3. The timer runs outThe timer runs out. Screen time is finished for now.
  4. I might feel crossI might feel cross, sad or grumpy.
  5. Helping my body switch offSwitching off can feel hard. I can help my body.

    I could try… Move my body — stretch or jump · Have a drink of water · Hug a cushion

  6. Pause or saveIf I can, I pause my show or save my game.
  7. My show will still be thereMy show will still be there next time.
  8. I can ask whenI can say how I feel, or ask when I can watch again.

    I can say: “When can I watch it again?”

  9. Putting the tablet awayI can give the tablet to Dad, or put it in its place on the shelf.
  10. What comes nextI can think about what comes next.
  11. It gets easierEach time screen time ends, I get a little more practice.
  12. I am learningI am learning to stop, even when it’s hard.

I can remember

  • A timer tells me when screen time ends.
  • It’s okay to feel cross.
  • My show will still be there next time.
  • I can ask when I can watch again.
For grown-ups

What this story teaches

That stopping a screen is genuinely hard and the frustration is allowed, and what helps: a warning, pausing or saving, knowing the show will still be there, asking when, and moving on to a clear next thing.

When to use it

  • Before screen time starts, so the ending is expected.
  • When switching off often ends in shouting or tears.
  • After a smooth switch-off, to name what your child did.

For this story

  • Use a visible timer (a sand timer or the tablet’s own) and give a five-minute warning.
  • Help them reach a pause point — the end of an episode or a save — rather than cutting off mid-level.
  • Have the next thing ready and concrete: “Tablet off, then we make pancakes.”

How to use it

  • Read it together on a calm day, not mid-meltdown. In the hard moment itself, fewer words help more: stay close, keep everyone safe, and save the story for later.
  • Read it again just before a tricky moment you can see coming: on the way to the park, the night before a haircut.
  • Make it fit your child: skip pages, stop when they’ve had enough, swap a detail as you read so it matches your child’s day, or read only the “I can remember” card.
  • Add your child’s first name on the story’s opening page and it appears in a line or two. The name stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.
  • Use the story’s words in real life (“No means not right now”), and model them when you hear “no” too.
  • Notice tries, not perfect calm. Big feelings are allowed; the story is about what to do with them.

Good to know

  • These stories are for everyday disappointments and changes. They never mean a child should put up with pain, fear, unsafe touch, bullying or anything that hurts — telling a trusted adult is always the right answer there.
  • Nothing here asks a child to make eye contact, hug anyone — family included — stop stimming or stop crying. Crying and moving are ways bodies cope, and headphones or a break are always allowed.
  • Where a story says a grown-up will do something — stop when a hand goes up, give a warning, keep a “later” spot — make sure it really happens, or change that page. A signal that isn’t honoured teaches a child their words don’t work.
  • The aim is understanding and choices, not a quiet or compliant child. Asking “why?”, saying no to touch and disagreeing in words are skills to welcome.
  • Visual stories help many children and not every child. Adapt, skip or change any page. This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.