Richard Wadsworth, a psychiatrist and father of seven, recently posted a video of his teen son lifting weights and telling him that he woke up at 6:30 in the morning to get his sweat sesh in before school. The thing is, he’s not forcing his kid to get up early to exercise, it’s just one of the things he has to do before he’s allowed any screen time. Wadsworth explains that he has a checklist that his kids need to complete before they get their phone or tablet, which includes:
- Clean their room - “All clothes in drawers or hung up. No garbage. Bed made. Toys put away”
- Do their chore
- Homework or read for at least 15 minutes
- Exercise - Walk, run or jog a mile on the treadmill, or another workout like basketball, climbing or lifting weights for 20 minutes
- Be ready for the next day - “Lunch made, shoes, jacket located in proper place for the next day”
- Toilets - “Are the toilets in the house flushed?”
- Laundry - “Is your laundry done?”