Updated 3 November 2026 by Spencer Lay, who makes FocusFlow.
Why the nightly argument happens
"Homework first" only works if someone checks, every night, and that someone is usually you. Time limits help less than you'd hope: they cap the total but don't care whether the homework got done, so the limit and the homework end up as two separate fights.
What works better
- Agree on the rule once: homework, then screen time. Not a new negotiation each night.
- Make the reward automatic, so finishing the work is what opens the apps, not asking you.
- Check the work that matters and trust the rest. Checking everything wears everyone out.
- Keep hard stops, like bedtime, separate from earned time.
How FocusFlow does it
- You choose which apps lock on your kid's device.
- You give tasks: homework, reading, chores, practice.
- Your kid finishes a task and earns time. For tasks you want checked, they send you a photo first, and you approve it from your own iPhone.
- Blockouts, like bedtime, keep apps locked whatever has been earned.
- Kids' photos are only ever seen by their parents. They're never sent to an AI, and they're deleted once you've answered or after 7 days.
What it costs and what you need
FocusFlow is free to download from the App Store. The family plan, for parents setting it up on their kids' devices, is $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year after 7 days free.
You need an iPhone, an iPhone or iPad for each kid, and your kids in your Apple Family Sharing group.