UnGlue

By Bayle Emlein

UnGlue recognizes that screen time is a part of life, even
before kids start school. The unGlue app for both Android
and iOS helps parents set limits, help kids learn to control
and budget their screen time, and learn to balance screen
time with other aspects of life. Simply parsing them out helps
kids become aware that there is more to life.

The unGlue team suggests that parents work with each
child to define the areas of life to be addressed and how
to value them in terms of the screen and internet time that
kids value. It’s sort of like negotiating salary or a pay raise.

While the unGlue app cannot check that the dishes are
done, and really clean, or that your room is cleaned up
to specified standards, if task completion is misrepresented,
parents have the option of shutting down WiFi and/or
internet access. The Steps 4 Time feature does actually
count and report steps taken. Parents learn to set boundaries,
rather than barriers. Kids learn that choices have
consequences and how to control results that matter to them.

For many kids, the parent/child interpersonal interaction
becomes entwined with activities of daily living. Using an
app can take the scolding out of helping kids grow into
responsible adults. UnGlue makes the process objective
and easy for both parent and child.

Getting nagged about a hot new device for the holidays?
Making it come with UnGlue could help both you and the
recipient get more value. Excuse me while I go check the
unGlue website to see if there is a feature that limits
Facebook and cat video time.