Made by a game developer, not a parenting guru
Getting kids to do the boring stuff, without the nagging.
I build an action-RPG that kids unlock by doing real-world quests: chores, reading, exercise. These are my honest notes on the psychology underneath that, including the parts that don't work.
Latest writing
- ◆ Jul 3, 2026 /parenting
Do good grades actually predict a good life?
We treat the report card as the scoreboard of a childhood. Here's what grades really forecast, what quietly predicts more, and what it means for the things worth rewarding.
- ◆ Jun 29, 2026 /motivation
Why can my child focus on games for hours but not homework?
It looks like laziness, but it's really about how fast the reward turns up. Here's the psychology of instant versus delayed payoffs, and what actually helps.
- ◆ Jun 28, 2026 /screen-time
How much screen time is too much for kids?
The honest answer to how much screen time is too much, why the number matters far less than you'd expect, and what actually makes the difference.
- ◆ Jun 27, 2026 /screen-time
How to choose age-appropriate games for your kid: a developer's checklist
Age ratings tell you about violence and language. What they mostly won't tell you is how a game is built to take your money. Here's what to actually look for, from someone who makes games.
- ◆ Jun 26, 2026 /screen-time
My kid would rather play video games than anything else. Is that normal?
If your child picks gaming over almost everything and falls apart when you turn it off, you're not alone. Here's what's actually going on underneath it, and what the research says genuinely helps.
- ◆ Jun 25, 2026 /motivation
The feature I deliberately didn't build (and the psychology that stopped me)
Should you reward kids for chores they'd happily do anyway? The overjustification effect says rewards can quietly backfire. Here's the game feature I scrapped because of it, and the simple rule it leaves you with.
- ◆ Jun 25, 2026 /motivation
Why this has to be co-op (and how it beats the one-month problem)
Almost every reward system for kids works for about a month, then quietly dies. The research points to one fix that lasts, and it isn't more points. It's other people.
- ◆ Jun 24, 2026 /motivation
Do chore apps for kids actually work? What the research says about the long game
Gamified chore apps almost always work at first, then most kids drift back. Here's the psychology behind why, and what actually makes a reward last past the first month.
- ◆ Jun 20, 2026 /motivation
The 'first, then' rule: a 1965 trick for getting kids to do the boring stuff
Grandma knew it instinctively, and a psychologist named it in 1965. The Premack principle is the simplest, most reliable way to motivate a reluctant kid, if you get one detail right.