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The question comes up every day after school: can your child use screens now, or should they do their homework first? This daily dilemma crystallizes tensions around managing screen time and schoolwork. Behind this seemingly simple question lies a major educational issue: how to organize after-school time to promote both learning and the child’s development? Let’s explore together the different options and their implications.
The Stakes of This Question
The Limited Time After School
Between leaving school and bedtime, hours are counted. You have to manage snack time, homework, any extracurricular activities, playtime, dinner, bath time, and the bedtime ritual. In this tight schedule, every organizational decision has repercussions on the rest.
Screen time and homework time often compete for the same slots. Their coordination is not trivial: it influences the quality of schoolwork, the fluidity of transitions, the family atmosphere, and the habits the child develops for their future life.
Establishing Priorities
The way you order screens and homework sends an implicit message about priorities. If screens systematically come first, the child may internalize that immediate pleasure takes precedence over responsibilities. If homework comes first, they learn the value of effort before reward.
This question therefore goes beyond simple practical organization: it touches on values education and preparing the child for the demands of adult life, where the ability to delay gratification and manage priorities will be crucial.
The Impact on Motivation and Concentration
The order of activities also influences the child’s motivation and concentration for homework. A child who knows that screen time awaits them after homework can be motivated to complete it efficiently. Conversely, a child who has already had their screen time may struggle to mobilize themselves for schoolwork.
Similarly, the mental state in which the child approaches homework depends on what they were doing just before. A transition from a highly stimulating activity like a screen to a task requiring concentration can be difficult.
The Recommended Option: Homework Before Screens
Why This Organization Is Generally Preferable
For the majority of children and families, the “homework first, screen later” organization has the most numerous advantages.
It establishes a hierarchy of priorities consistent with educational values: work before leisure. This lesson, integrated from childhood, will be valuable throughout life. It uses the screen as natural motivation: the child knows that the faster and better they do their homework, the sooner they can enjoy their screen time. This perspective can transform the homework chore into a step toward something pleasant.
It avoids the difficult transition from screen to cognitive effort. After a screen session, the brain is in passive reception mode and intense stimulation. Making it switch to sustained attention and the effort that homework demands often generates resistance.
It guarantees that homework gets done. If the screen comes first, there’s a risk that time will stretch out, the child will resist stopping, and homework will be rushed or postponed until the next morning in a hurry.
How to Set Up This Routine
Setting up this routine requires some practical adjustments.
Upon returning from school, allow decompression time (snack, recounting the day, a few minutes of free play) before tackling homework. The child needs to decompress after their school day.
Define a suitable workspace: quiet, well-lit, without distractions, and ideally without screens nearby. The kitchen may work, allowing your presence nearby to help if necessary.
Clearly announce the rule and reward: “You do your homework, and when it’s properly finished, you can have your screen time.” This wording links the two activities in a positive sequence.
Check the quality of homework before moving to screens. The goal is not just to finish quickly, but to do it correctly. If the work is rushed, ask them to redo it before accessing the screen.
Managing Resistance
A child accustomed to having screen access right after returning from school will probably resist the change. Anticipate this resistance and stay firm.
Explain the reasons for the change in an age-appropriate manner. Acknowledge that it’s difficult and that you understand their frustration. Maintain the rule consistently: exceptions erode the framework and reinforce negotiations. Praise their efforts when they respect the new routine.
After a few weeks, the new habit will be established and resistance will fade. The child may even find this organization more satisfying, as they enjoy their screen time without the anxiety of homework to do afterward.
The Alternative: Transition Screen Time
When This Option May Be Justified
In some cases, a brief screen time before homework can be considered, provided it is strictly supervised.
For children who have long days (school plus daycare), the need for decompression can be intense. Limited screen time (15-20 minutes maximum) can serve as a decompression airlock before homework.
For children with concentration difficulties, starting homework immediately can be counterproductive. A break time, possibly with screens, can allow them to recover before concentrating again.
Strict Conditions for It to Work
If you opt for this organization, several conditions are imperative.
Screen time must be very short and strictly limited. We’re talking about 15-20 minutes maximum, not an hour. Content must be chosen in advance and of defined duration. A short cartoon episode, a session on an educational app with a timer. No endless content like YouTube where videos chain together.
A visible timer materializes the remaining time. When it rings, the screen turns off, without negotiation. Homework starts immediately after, no prolonged transition.
A second screen time can be offered after homework if the daily quota allows. This perspective maintains motivation.
The Risks of This Approach
This organization carries risks that must be anticipated.
The transition from screen to homework remains a difficult transition, even after a short screen time. The child may be in a bad mood, drag their feet, demand more.
Screen time can drift if limits are not firmly held. 15 minutes become 30, then 45, and homework is postponed.
The child may develop the habit of considering the screen as a mandatory prerequisite to homework, creating dependence on the ritual.
For these reasons, homework then screen organization generally remains preferable. Transition screen time should be reserved for situations where it proves truly necessary.
The Case of Homework on Screens
When Homework Requires a Computer
More and more teachers use digital tools and some homework requires a computer or tablet. How to manage this situation where the screen is both a work tool and source of distraction?
Clearly distinguish screen time for homework and leisure screen time. The former should not be counted in the leisure quota.
Arrange the digital environment for work. On the computer, close unnecessary applications and tabs. Disable notifications. If possible, use a user profile dedicated to homework, without access to games and social media.
Stay nearby during homework time on the computer, especially for younger ones. Your presence discourages drifts toward non-school uses.
Limiting the Temptation to Multitask
Children and adolescents are tempted to do their homework while keeping an eye on social media or listening to videos in the background. This multitasking is very harmful to work quality and memorization.
Establish a clear rule: during homework, we only do homework. No phone nearby, no Facebook tab open, no music with lyrics. Some studies suggest that soft instrumental music can help concentration, but content with lyrics or videos disrupts it.
Screen as Reward: Advantages and Limits
The Advantages of the Reward Logic
Using the screen as a reward for completed homework has motivational advantages. The child has a concrete and attractive goal to aim for. The prospect of the screen can help get through difficult parts of homework.
This logic also reproduces a pattern of adult life: work before leisure, effort before reward. Learning this principle from childhood prepares for managing later responsibilities.
Limits to Keep in Mind
However, this logic should not be pushed too far. Homework should not be experienced solely as an obligatory passage to the screen, a chore without intrinsic value.
Also emphasize the inherent interest of homework: what we learn, the skills we develop, the pride of understanding something. The screen is a pleasant reward, but it’s not the only reason to do homework.
Similarly, avoid removing the screen as punishment for bad grades or insufficient work. This approach links the screen’s value too strongly to academic performance and can generate anxiety and resentment. More natural consequences (redoing the work, spending more time on the difficult subject) are preferable.
Organization on Weekends and During Vacations
Weekends: More Flexibility
On weekends, without the constraint of daily homework, organization can be more flexible. The screen can find its place at different times of the day, without necessarily being conditioned on a prior task.
However, if weekend homework has been assigned, maintain the principle of doing it before extended screen sessions. Reserve Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon for schoolwork, and leave the screen for times when everything is done.
Vacations: Maintaining Structure
During vacations, the temptation is great to let screens invade days freed from school constraints. Minimal structure remains necessary.
If vacation homework is assigned, distribute it over the period and maintain the principle of doing it before the day’s screen time. Even without homework, other activities can condition screen access: reading, creative activity, outdoor time.
This structure prevents vacations from becoming weeks of passive screen consumption, from which the child emerges more tired and less fulfilled than before.
Adapting the Approach to the Child’s Age
For Young Children (6-8 Years)
For younger ones, homework is generally short and autonomy limited. The parent is often present to supervise the work.
Chain together snack, homework, and screen directly. Parental presence during homework allows managing the transition to screen time smoothly. Screen time itself remains limited (30-45 minutes) and can be shared with the parent.
For Middle-Aged Children (9-11 Years)
At this age, homework is more substantial and the child gains autonomy. The homework then screen rule can be applied with less direct supervision, while verifying that the work is done well before authorizing the screen.
Gradually introduce self-management. The child can estimate themselves the time needed for their homework, get started on their own, and ask you for verification when they’ve finished.
For Adolescents
In adolescence, workload increases and negotiation over rules intensifies. The approach must evolve toward more responsibility.
Rather than imposing rigid sequencing, discuss with the adolescent how they want to organize their time. Some prefer a short break when coming home then a work block, others chain directly. What’s important is that homework is done correctly and screen time doesn’t sabotage sleep.
Set goals together (homework finished by such time, bedtime at such time) and give them responsibility for organizing to achieve them. Intervene if goals are not met.
Resources for Support
Apps for Balanced Use
When screen time comes after homework, guide your child toward quality applications that promote balanced use.
The COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES app from DYNSEO is perfect for the post-homework slot. Its educational games stimulate cognitive abilities, in a way extending the benefits of school effort. Mandatory sports breaks every 15 minutes prevent sedentary behavior and facilitate respecting time limits. Discover COCO THINKS and COCO MOVES
Training to Better Support
Understanding the issues of coordinating homework and screens allows making informed decisions and holding them in the face of resistance.
The training “Raising awareness about screens: understand, act, support” from DYNSEO gives you the keys to organize your children’s daily life optimally.
Raising Children’s Awareness
Children can understand why we organize homework and screens this way. This understanding promotes their buy-in.
The screen awareness workshop from DYNSEO offers educational resources to address these questions with children. Discover the workshop
Conclusion: Organization in Service of Success
The coordination between homework and screens is not a trivial question. It shapes your child’s work habits, influences their academic success, and transmits values about time management and priorities.
The homework then screen organization remains the general recommendation, as it establishes the right order of priorities, uses natural motivation toward the screen, and avoids difficult transitions. Adjustments are possible depending on children and situations, but the fundamental principle remains: responsibilities before leisure.
This organization, held with consistency and kindness, quickly becomes a habit that simplifies family life. Daily negotiations fade, homework gets done without drama, and screen time is enjoyed as a deserved reward.
By accompanying your child toward this organization, you give them precious tools for their future life: the ability to delay gratification, manage their time, prioritize their activities. These skills will serve them well beyond the question of screens and homework.
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Find other articles on digital education and parenting on the DYNSEO blog. To deepen these topics, discover our comprehensive training and our educational applications designed for healthy and enriching screen use.