Orb Kin
The nightly phone battle
“Five more minutes” turns into midnight, and taking the phone becomes a fight nobody wins. Tired teens, cross parents, and the same argument again tomorrow.
Screen time rules for kids & teens
Screen time rules without the fight.
Taking the phone every night shouldn’t feel like a battle. Agree a few clear screen time rules together, make them visible, and let your children earn the time they enjoy.
- Free to start, no card
- Made in the UK
- Set up in two minutes
Sound familiar?
Screens are winning the evenings
Screens before homework
The tablet hides under the worksheet, homework drags on until bedtime and nobody is learning much. Rules that change with the mood are easy to push against.
The Orb Kin way
How Orb Kin helps with screen time
- 1
Agree the rules together
Choose from example screen time rules or write your own. Teens can suggest changes, so the rules feel fair.
- 2
Make them visible
Every child sees the rules on their own home screen, so there is no arguing about what was agreed.
- 3
See the time counting down
The play timer shows children the screen time they have, counting down on your terms.
- 4
Reward keeping them
Every rule kept fills their Golden Orb. Slips meet the consequence you agreed in advance, with a fair appeal.
Phones downstairs
The calm after the agreement
When the rule is written down and kept rules are noticed, handing over the phone stops being a fight. Devices charge downstairs, and the evening is for the garden, the board game or an early night.
- Rules everyone signed up to
- Praise for the nights it goes well
- Consequences agreed in advance, never made up on the spot
Guide
8 screen time rules to agree as a family
Pick a few that fit your family and your children’s ages. Fewer rules, kept consistently, work better than a long list.
- 1
Phones out of bedrooms at night
Every device charges downstairs from an agreed time. Sleep is the one that matters most.
- 2
Homework and chores before screens
Fun screen time starts once the day’s jobs are done.
- 3
No phones at the dinner table
For the grown-ups too. Children copy what we do.
- 4
Screens off an hour before bed
A wind-down time helps everyone fall asleep.
- 5
Ask before a new app or game
A quick chat about what it is and who they can talk to.
- 6
A weekend allowance they can see
Time that counts down on the play timer, so “how long have I got?” answers itself.
- 7
A screen-free family time each week
A walk, a game, a meal out. Something to look forward to together.
- 8
Tell us if something online upsets you
Telling a parent is never punished. This one keeps children safe.
Tips that make it stick
- Write the rules down together and let teens propose changes
- Agree the consequence before it’s needed, so it is fair, not angry
- Notice the nights it goes well, not only the slips
- Review the rules every few months as children grow
Questions parents ask
Good to know
What are good screen time rules for kids?
Good screen time rules are few, clear and agreed together. Popular ones are phones out of bedrooms at night, homework and chores before screens, no phones at the dinner table and screens off an hour before bed. The 8 example rules on this page are a good starting point.
Does Orb Kin lock or block devices?
No. Orb Kin does not control devices. It makes the screen time agreement clear, shows children the time they have on a play timer, and rewards keeping the rules, which takes the fight out of it. You can use it alongside the parental controls built into your phones.
How do I stop the bedtime phone battles?
Agree a single rule such as “phones charge downstairs from 9pm”, write it down where everyone can see it, agree the consequence in advance, and notice every night it goes well. In Orb Kin each kept night fills your child’s Golden Orb towards a reward they chose.
Should teens have the same screen time rules as younger children?
Usually not. Teens need more independence, so give them a say: in Orb Kin teens can propose rule changes and appeal a decision, while younger children get simpler rules and a visible timer.
Is it free?
Yes. Rules, the play timer, rewards and the Golden Orb are all on the free plan.
More from Orb Kin
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Set up in a couple of minutes. Free to start, no card needed.