Create a simple, printable starting point for family conversations about homework, sleep, device-free times, online safety, and exceptions. Information stays in your browser and is not submitted to Chip-Free Schools.
Make an agreement your family can use
A useful screen-time agreement names routines people can follow, not just limits they hope to enforce. Use this builder together, with room for the student to explain how devices support schoolwork, friendships, relaxation, and access needs. Aim for a workable first draft rather than a rule for every possible situation.
Build and check your first draft
- Add names if you want them printed. Both name fields are optional. Leaving them blank produces general adult and student labels.
- Choose an age group. This changes two online-safety statements in the agreement; it does not calculate a recommended screen-time allowance or assess maturity.
- Work through the routine settings together. Decide what happens during homework, before bed, overnight, and in shared family spaces. Edit the device-free times and exceptions to match your household.
- Select “Build agreement.” The preview initially shows the default choices. After changing settings, build again to update it before printing.
- Read the whole preview, then print. “Reset” returns the form and preview to their starting settings, including blank names. It does not undo only your last edit.
Choose a homework rule that fits the task
The homework setting describes which device activities remain available during study. It is not a judgment about whether all screen use is helpful or harmful. A student writing an essay may need several school websites; someone reading a printed chapter may not need a device nearby.
| Option | When it may fit | Clarify together |
|---|---|---|
| School tools only | Assignments require apps or websites. | Which tools are needed, including accessibility tools? |
| Finish planned block first | The family wants a defined study period before social apps or games. | When does the block end, and what happens during breaks? |
| Device outside study area | The task can usually be completed offline. | How will the student retrieve it if an assignment requires it? |
The draft also silences unnecessary notifications. Identify any communication or support functions that need to remain available rather than assuming every alert is optional.
Make bedtime and device-free rules consistent
The bedtime cutoff applies to optional device use. The menu offers several intervals, but the builder does not determine which is appropriate for your child or whether a sleep concern needs professional attention.
Check the free-text device-free field carefully: its default includes “the final hour before bedtime.” If you choose a 30-minute cutoff, edit that wording unless you intentionally want a separate, stricter rule.
Choose an overnight location that is practical and accessible. For example, a shared shelf may work for entertainment devices while an agreed communication or medical function remains available. For device-free meals, explain whether the rule covers adults too and how urgent calls will be handled.
Turn online-safety statements into conversations
The age-group wording shifts from adult help with apps and accounts toward greater student responsibility. These are broad prompts, not a test of readiness for a platform or permission to bypass its requirements.
Discuss what “ask for help” looks like: whom can the student approach, and what if that person is unavailable or involved in the concern? For example, an unfamiliar account asking for a private photo needs a supportive response, not simply a debate about screen-time limits. Make clear that reporting frightening or uncomfortable contact is different from breaking a household routine. This agreement cannot evaluate a safeguarding concern or replace appropriate support.
Write exceptions people can actually follow
The default exceptions mention school assignments, urgent family communication, medical or accessibility needs, and adult-approved situations. Replace broad wording with relevant details, without putting sensitive information into a document that others may see.
- Schoolwork: “If required homework runs beyond the cutoff, we discuss what still needs doing and use only the necessary tools.”
- Transport and family contact: “A device remains available for pickup changes after an evening activity.”
- Access and health: Identify essential functions that need to remain available, taking account of existing support arrangements and relevant professional guidance where applicable.
A household agreement should not be used to override necessary access, a safety plan, or applicable legal arrangements. The builder cannot resolve conflicts between these obligations.
Plan a response and a review
Choose a first response you can explain calmly before a rule is missed. “Pause and reset” could mean discussing why a game continued past the agreed time and setting a clearer stopping reminder. If you select a short reduction, agree what “short” means and which optional activities it affects; the tool does not specify a duration.
Use the review schedule to ask what worked, what caused friction, and what needs changing. Adults can also review their own device habits. Revisit the agreement sooner when assignments, travel, care arrangements, or support needs change.
Read the result as a draft, not a verdict
The output combines your choices with standard statements about learning, safety, respect, and family relationships. It does not check whether your rules conflict, whether everyone agrees, or whether they are realistic. Read each sentence aloud and note any revisions needed before treating it as your household plan.
Signature lines provide space to record participation; they do not make this an official assessment or legal contract. The builder does not set a daily recreational screen-time budget, diagnose problematic use, assess disability-related needs, or promise better sleep or behavior. If your concern goes beyond routine-setting, use the agreement as background for a conversation with appropriate school, health, accessibility, or safeguarding support.