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Creating Schedules

Setting up a schedule takes just a few minutes and saves countless daily negotiations. Here’s how to create Device Availability Plans for your family.

Have a conversation with your child about the schedule you’re creating. Even young children appreciate being included in decisions that affect them.

Questions to discuss:

  • What time feels right for homework?
  • When should devices rest for the night?
  • How much free device time feels reasonable on school days vs. weekends?

Go to parents.thriva.app and sign in to your account.

From the dashboard, click on the child you want to create a schedule for.

Click the Schedules tab in your child’s profile. You’ll see any existing schedules listed here.

Click + New Schedule to open the schedule creator.

Fill in the schedule details:

FieldDescriptionExample
NameA descriptive name for this schedule”Bedtime Routine”
ModeWhich mode to activateQuiet Time
Start TimeWhen the mode begins8:30 PM
End TimeWhen to return to default mode7:00 AM
DaysWhich days this appliesSun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu

Double-check the settings, then click Save Schedule. The schedule becomes active immediately.

  • Name: School Night Bedtime
  • Mode: Quiet Time
  • Start: 8:30 PM
  • End: 6:30 AM
  • Days: Sunday through Thursday
  • Name: After-School Homework
  • Mode: Focused Mode
  • Start: 3:30 PM
  • End: 5:00 PM
  • Days: Monday through Friday
  • Name: Weekend Mornings
  • Mode: Focused Mode
  • Start: 7:00 AM
  • End: 10:00 AM
  • Days: Saturday, Sunday

Keeps mornings productive before free time begins

  • Name: Dinner Time
  • Mode: Quiet Time
  • Start: 6:00 PM
  • End: 7:00 PM
  • Days: Every day

Thriva uses a priority system to determine which mode applies at any given time. From lowest to highest priority:

  1. Default Mode - When no schedule is active
  2. Child Choice - Children can voluntarily change modes when no schedule is active
  3. Recurring Schedules - Regular schedules (highest priority number wins)
  4. Temporary Overrides - Parent-set overrides override recurring schedules
  5. Budget Exhaustion - When Device Time Budget runs out, switches to Focused Mode
  6. Required Tasks - Incomplete required tasks block Free Time until completed

Special Rule: Quiet Time is always honored, even if other factors (budget, tasks) would normally change the mode. Quiet Time is non-negotiable.

When schedules conflict: If two schedules overlap, the one with the higher priority number wins. If priorities are equal, the one that started most recently takes precedence.

Begin with 2-3 essential schedules (bedtime, homework, morning). Add more as your family settles into the routine.

End Focused Mode 15-30 minutes before Free Time begins. This creates natural break points.

Set schedules that reflect your actual routine, not an idealized version. You can always adjust later.

If you need to modify a schedule, explain why to your child. “I noticed homework is taking longer, so let’s extend that time by 30 minutes.”

Click on any schedule to open it for editing. Make your changes and save.

Open the schedule and click Delete Schedule. Confirm the deletion when prompted.

Rather than deleting, you can use a temporary override to pause a schedule for a specific period.

  • Check that the days are set correctly
  • Verify the time zone in your account settings
  • Ensure the child’s devices are online
  • Check for overlapping schedules
  • Look for active temporary overrides
  • Verify the schedule’s start and end times

Devices check for updates every 30 seconds. If changes aren’t appearing, ensure the device has an internet connection.

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