4 min readNew DelhiJun 17, 2026 12:00 AM IST
First published on: Jun 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM IST
Parents today are increasingly caught between recognising the educational and recreational value of screens for their children and worrying about their impact on behaviour, emotional regulation, sleep, and mental health. These questions recently resurfaced after Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri spoke candidly about how screen time is handled in his own household during a podcast with It’s Called Soccer.
Speaking about parenting in the digital age, Mosseri explained that while his children are drawn mainly to video games, access to screens is not automatic. “They start with none,” he said, stressing that screen time in his home is earned rather than assumed.
Mosseri detailed the structure behind this approach: “They have three half-hour sections during the week where they do homework. If they complete all three, they earn their 90 minutes on the weekend.”
He also shared why he stopped using screens as a disciplinary tool. “We never take it away,” he noted, adding, “When I used to take it away, they would get really dysregulated and behave even worse.” Reflecting on that shift, he said, “So I was like, alright, I’ll never take it away. You start with none, and you have to earn it.”
At the same time, Mosseri acknowledged that rigid rules don’t always hold up in real life. “When all barriers go out the window is on planes,” he admitted. “On planes, it’s just like whatever gets you to the other side. You’re just trying to survive.”
His comments echo a broader conversation many parents are having, not about eliminating screens, but about finding structures that support balance.
But, how does an ‘earned screen time’ model compare with fixed daily limits?
Counselling psychologist Athul Raj tells indianexpress.com, “Earned screen time can motivate behaviour, but it does not automatically build regulation. It works best when it reflects real-world logic: effort precedes privilege. Children learn sequencing, waiting, and follow-through. However, when screens must be constantly earned, behaviour becomes externally driven. The child is organised around access, not self-control.”
He adds that fixed daily limits serve a quieter but more stabilising role. They reduce emotional load by removing repeated decision-making and negotiation. Many children regulate better when the boundary is predictable, even if they dislike it. “In clinical work, earned models tend to activate behaviour, while fixed limits contain emotion. Families function best when there is a stable baseline with limited, intentional flexibility. Screens should not become the central organiser of a child’s behaviour or motivation.”
Why taking screen time away as punishment can sometimes backfire
Taking screen time away as punishment often fails because it ignores the child’s regulatory state. Raj notes, “For many children, screens are how they downshift after sustained demand, not the cause of the problem. Removing them during distress increases arousal and reduces capacity for reflection. The child is punished while already overwhelmed.”
Over time, he adds that this approach teaches that emotions are dangerous and lead to loss, which increases suppression or explosive release later. It also gives screens an oversized emotional value, making them harder to manage. “Consequences are most effective when they are connected to repair and responsibility. Screens need boundaries, but they are a poor tool for managing emotional behaviour,” concludes the expert.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri shares why his children earn screen time (Source: Freepik) 
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