Homework at a set time, without the daily debate
You decide once when homework happens in your family, say Monday to Thursday from 3 to 4:30 pm. During that time, the apps you picked are gone from the Home Screen. Afterwards they come back on their own.
Sound familiar?
Your child is at the desk, in theory. But the phone is right there, and five minutes of maths turn into an hour of videos. By evening nothing is done, and you're arguing about the same thing again. It's rarely about willpower. How to break that cycle is in our guide on arguments about the phone.
How to set it up
- 1
Create a schedule
Choose the days and the time. Every weekday can be switched on or off on its own, and a window lasts at least 15 minutes.
- 2
Lock distractions, keep the tools
Lock what distracts and leave open what's needed: calculator, dictionary or the school's learning app. Only what you pick gets locked.
- 3
Done early? BlueTag
Once everything is done, you end focus with the BlueTag from either plan or with your 6-digit PIN. Without a PIN, your child also has three emergency exits.
What works well
Short and regular wins
A fixed hour every school day usually works better than a long block that only applies sometimes.
Finishing pays off
Finish early, get the apps back early. For many kids that's reason enough to keep going.
Different apps per schedule
Homework can use a different selection than bedtime. That way the learning app stays open in the afternoon.
Plan in breaks
On long afternoons, two windows with a break in between help, much like the Pomodoro technique.
And the sea?
Every homework hour in focus funds the recovery of about 100 g of ocean plastic. Four afternoons of an hour and a half add up to about 600 g a week.
Frequently asked
Can my child just move the homework time?
Only if no PIN is set. With your 6-digit PIN, schedules can only be changed with it.
What if my child needs YouTube for school?
Then leave YouTube out of the selection. Only what you tap in Apple's picker gets locked.
Read on
Fewer distractions for your child. Less plastic in the sea.
A year costs €49.99 once, a month €9.99. The BlueTag comes with both plans.