If you’re expecting some fancy “no-screen” rules or a magic parenting formula — sorry, this is not that.
This is just my real mom experience of how we reduced Cocomelon / cartoon time in only 7 days…
without crying, shouting, or turning the house into a battlefield.
And trust me —
I am NOT a “perfect mom.”
I didn’t do Montessori-only, wooden toys, peaceful music-only type things.
I simply made small changes every day and they worked.
So here’s exactly what we did ❤️
✅ Why We Even Needed This Change
Like I mentioned before…
my son started watching screen time early — even before he was 1 year old —
because I was handling him alone and just needed help.
Yes, you are reading it right and I have penned down my whole experience in this blog.
Slowly, screen time became our default calm pill.
The problem was:
Without screen, he could not sit still not eat or drink anything.
He:
- Kept switching toys fast
- Kept switching videos fast
- Couldn’t focus
- Became restless while eating
- Wanted Cocomelon all day
That’s when I realised — this wasn’t just “entertainment.”
It was overstimulation.
So I decided to cut down.
Not eliminate — just reduce.
And within ONE week —
the difference was visible.
Here’s exactly what we did 👇
✅ The 7-Day Plan
📍 Day 1 — Don’t Remove Screen Time… Just Observe
No rules.
No changes.
Just observe:
- When does he ask for screen?
- What triggers it?
- Is he bored? Hungry? Tired?
I realised my son asked for Cocomelon when:
- He was eating
- He was bored
- He wanted comfort
Just knowing why helped me prepare alternatives.
⏱ Goal: Track patterns, not reduce.
📍 Day 2 — Reduce ONLY 10–15 Minutes
I didn’t say “No screen.”
I just cut 10–15 mins total.
Example:
If he usually watched 1 hour → reduced to 45–50 min. Instead, took him out for a walk and made him talk to atleast one stranger in our neighbourhood.
He didn’t realise the 15 min change.
We replaced that little time with:
- Introducing him to new people
- Watercolor play
- Toys
- Snack time chat
- introduced him to our daily cooking utensils with some water in it.
Tiny change → Zero resistance.
⏱ Goal: Cut a little. Not a lot.
📍 Day 3 — Keep Screens AWAY From Meals
This ONE change was a game-changer.
Earlier, meals = screen.
Now, meals = no screen.
Instead, I:
- Talked to him
- Let him touch food
- Gave small bowls & spoons
- Played slow music in background
Was it perfect?
No.
He resisted at first.
But by end of day, he accepted it.
⏱ Goal: Screen-free mealtime
📍 Day 4 — Switch to SLOWER Shows
This trick works beautifully.
Instead of Cocomelon (fast),
I offered:
- some goan music dance shows
They are gentle, warm, and calm. Matching his goan vibe.
No hyper cuts, no flashing.
He still got screen time
but at a much calmer pace.
⏱ Goal: Reduce overstimulation, not screen time
📍 Day 5 — Create One Screen-Free Activity Time
I chose 20–30 minutes a day for:
- Stickers
- Blocks
- Pretend kitchen
- Water
- Doodling
- Dough play
He didn’t play alone immediately. He needed me everytime and everywhere.
I sat with him.
Slowly, he adjusted.
⏱ Goal: One predictable, screen-free slot
📍 Day 6 — “Pre-Decide” the Shows
Big hack ↓
Don’t ask:
“What do you want to watch?”
Say:
“We can watch one song / one episode and then play blocks.”
Clear expectations = fewer tantrums.
⏱ Goal: Limit choice + clarify duration
📍 Day 7 — Keep Screens Off in the Background
Earlier, I used to keep music/videos playing in background “for fun.”
It overstimulates even if they aren’t watching.
So, on Day 7 →
I kept background screen off.
Suddenly the house felt calmer.
And so did his behaviour.
⏱ Goal: Silence = calm
✅ Results After 7 Days
Nothing magical…
just SIMPLE changes.
But the effects were beautiful:
✅ Longer attention span
✅ More toy-play
✅ Less screen asking
✅ Calmer behaviour
✅ Easier meals
✅ Fewer meltdowns
He started being present — not constantly searching for stimulation.
Real life became fun again.
✅ Important Notes (From One Mom to Another)
✘ I did NOT stop screen time
✘ I did NOT shame myself
✘ I did NOT force anything
✔ I only reduced
✔ Slowly
✔ Patiently
No mom guilt.
No pressure.
We do what we can, with what we have.
And sometimes — these tiny steps make a big difference.
✅ If You Want to Try This…
Just remember:
- Don’t cut suddenly
- Go slow
- Notice triggers
- Offer alternatives
- Praise your child
This is not about “no screen”
It’s about healthy screen.
And you’ll be surprised…
kids adjust faster than we think.
We just have to guide softly💛
Read what WHO has to say about Children’s screen time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), young children benefit from limited screen exposure and more hands-on interaction. Read more here.