What Toy Story 5 Might Teach Kids About Screen Time (and How Parents Can Handle Tablet Meltdowns at Home)
Toy Story 5 Has Me Thinking About Screen Time
With Toy Story 5 releasing, one theme that caught my attention from the trailer was screen time.
Many parents have experienced the same struggle. A child is happily using a tablet, watching a show, or playing a game. Then it's time to stop.
Suddenly, a calm afternoon can turn into frustration, arguing, crying, or even throwing the tablet.
The challenge isn't usually the screen itself. Often, the challenge is what happens when a child has strong feelings about stopping.
That is one reason I created the Cruise Choose Do™ approach.
The Problem Isn't the Feeling
Feeling upset about stopping a fun activity is normal.
Adults feel disappointed when something enjoyable ends too.
Instead of focusing on getting rid of frustration, the focus could change to helping children learn what to do when frustration shows up.
For example, imagine a child who becomes angry whenever tablet time ends.
The unhealthy path might look like this:
- Feel angry
- Throw the tablet
- Slam the case shut
- Argue with a parent
The emotion is real, but the action creates a new problem.
Using Cruise Choose Do Before the Problem Happens
One mistake many adults make is trying to teach a lesson in the middle of a meltdown.
The Cruise Choose Do™ approach works best when everyone is calm.
Later, when the child is relaxed, you can talk about what happened.
You might ask:
"What happened when tablet time ended?"
"What did your body feel like?"
"What could be a safe, healthy choice next time?"
Together, you can build a simple plan.
A Tablet Time Example
A child notices that when tablet time ends, their body feels hot and full of energy.
They recognize that anger or frustration is often driving their actions.
Now they Choose a different response.
Instead of throwing the tablet, they decide that next time they will:
- Say "Okay"
- Put the tablet back in its case
- Walk to another activity
Then comes the Do step.
The next time tablet time ends, they practice the plan.
It may not be perfect immediately. Learning new habits takes practice.
But over time, the child is no longer relying on the emotion to decide what happens next.
They are learning to follow a healthy choice they made ahead of time.
Why This Matters
Whether Toy Story 5 ends up focusing heavily on screen time or not, I think the topic resonates with many families because it reflects a real challenge.
Children will experience frustration.
Children will experience disappointment.
Children will experience anger.
The question is not whether those feelings will appear.
The question is what children can do when they do.
Helping children notice what they feel, choose a healthy response, and practice that response over time is a skill that can help far beyond tablet time.
Want a Printable Example?
I created a free Cruise Choose Do™ Calm Kit that includes a worksheet, example plan, and parent tips for practicing these skills at home.
You can download it by going to the link below.