How Can We Practise Gratitude After Screen Time Through Small Acts? 

Parenting Perspective 

Screen time can be a source of great enjoyment for children, but if it is not managed with intention, it can easily lead to feelings of entitlement or a sense of restlessness when it ends. The practice of showing gratitude after using a screen is a powerful way to help children recognise it as a privilege, not a right, and to nurture a sense of balance in their daily lives. These small acts of gratitude can anchor them in humility and thankfulness. 

Frame Screen Time as a Blessing, Not a Right 

Help to shape your child’s mindset by explaining the context of their privilege. You could say, ‘It is important to remember that not everyone has devices, games, or the internet. Being able to use screens is a blessing from Allah, and all blessings should be followed by gratitude.’ This helps to shift their perspective from entitlement to genuine appreciation. 

Create a ‘Gratitude Ritual’ 

Introduce a simple and consistent family rule that connects the end of screen time with a tangible act of thanks. You could agree that, ‘After using our screens, we always do one small act of gratitude to show we are thankful.’ Examples include: 

• Saying Alhamdulillah with meaning. 

• Helping to tidy up a few toys or books. 

• Bringing a glass of water for a parent or sibling. 

• Sharing one positive thing they learned or enjoyed. 

These small, practical rituals make the concept of gratitude a concrete action. 

Encourage Brief, Mindful Reflection 

You can build your child’s awareness of their blessings with a simple, reflective question. Ask them, ‘What was the thing you enjoyed most just now? Let us take a moment to thank Allah for that enjoyment.’ This brief moment of reflection helps to build a mindful connection between pleasure and thankfulness. 

Lead by Your Own Example 

The most powerful lessons are the ones children see in action. After you finish using your own phone or laptop, you can say aloud, ‘Alhamdulillah, I was able to finish my work. Now I will put my device away and help with the dinner.’ Your children will naturally copy the grateful attitude they see in you. 

Acknowledge and Praise Their Thankfulness 

When your child practises this gratitude ritual, be sure to affirm their choice. A warm comment like, ‘I really liked how you put away your tablet and then immediately helped to set the table. That showed real thankfulness and responsibility,’ helps to build their pride in using their blessings well. 

By consistently linking the use of screens with these small rituals of gratitude, you help your child to balance their enjoyment with humility, building habits that protect them from the dangers of excess and self-centredness. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches us that showing gratitude (shukr) is the key to preserving our blessings and is a protection against them being wasted or becoming a source of harm. Even the smaller blessings of life, such as leisure and entertainment, should be met with a thankful heart. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Ibraheem (14), Verse 7: 

‘And (remember) when your Sustainer made this declaration; (saying that): “If you show gratitude, I (Allah Almighty) will indeed, amplify them for you (provisions and sustenance); however, if you become ungrateful, then indeed, My punishment is Meticulous (in execution)”.’ 

This powerful verse is a direct reminder that gratitude is the cause of increase, while ingratitude is a cause of loss. It is a foundational principle that applies to all of Allah’s blessings, both big and small. 

It is recorded in Riyadh Al Saliheen, Hadith 466, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Look at those who are lower than you and do not look at those who are above you, for it is more suitable that you do not belittle the favours of Allah.’ 

This hadith teaches a practical method for cultivating gratitude: to look at those who have less than us, which helps us to truly appreciate the value of what we have. For a child, this is a lesson to remember that having access to screen time is a significant gift, not a guarantee. 

When children practise these small acts of gratitude after using a screen, they are training their hearts to connect every blessing with an act of thanks. Over time, this powerful habit nurtures humility, a sense of balance, and a stronger and more conscious bond with Allah in both their play and their daily lives.