Turning off the tablet.

Stopping a screen is one of the hardest transitions there is. A warning and a clear next thing make the off-switch land softer.

First-Then

Screen Time Is Ending

screen timenext thing

Make it yours →

More ways to help screen time end

A visual scheduleA printable wind-down so the screen turning off has warning and a next step.Make it yours →A social storyA short, calm story about why stopping the screen is hard.Make it yours →A choice boardA board of next things to move toward when the screen goes off.Make it yours →

What to expect

Screens end abruptly and the brain doesn't get a warning, which is why turning one off can trigger a meltdown. A countdown, a clear next activity, and the promise it comes back later turn a hard stop into a known step.

One tip from a dad who's been there

Give the warning before you mean it (a visual timer is gold), and always pair the off with a next thing they can move toward, not just emptiness. The first-then card does exactly this.