Deadline Warnings

Deadline Warnings help children understand the importance of due dates by showing a confirmation dialog when they attempt to defer a task past its deadline. This feature prevents accidental deadline misses while teaching responsibility about time-sensitive commitments.

How Deadline Warnings Work

When a child tries to move a task with a deadline to "Do Tomorrow" or otherwise defer it past the due date, the system interrupts the action with a warning dialog:

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Deadline Warning

Complete Math Homework
Due: Today at 5:00 PM

This task has a deadline of today. Deferring it to tomorrow means it will be past due.

Note: Deferring past a deadline may result in a point penalty.

What the Warning Shows

The deadline warning dialog contains several key pieces of information:

  • Warning Icon: A visual alert that draws attention to the importance of the moment
  • Task Details: The name of the task and its current deadline
  • Consequence Explanation: Text explaining that deferring means the task will be past due
  • Penalty Notice: Information about any point penalty that will apply
  • Two Buttons: "Cancel" to keep the task for today, or "Proceed Anyway" to accept the deferral

The child must actively choose to proceed with the deferral after seeing the warning. This moment of pause is often enough to make them reconsider and complete the task instead.

When Warnings Appear

Deadline warnings trigger in these situations:

Action Warning Triggered?
Drag task to "Do Tomorrow" sidebar Yes - if task has today's deadline
Drag task to a later date Yes - if task has an earlier deadline
Delete a deadline task Yes - warns about losing the task
Complete a past-deadline task No - but reduced points may apply
Move task within the same day No - no deadline risk

Purpose and Benefits

The Deadline Warning feature serves several important purposes:

Prevents Accidents

Children sometimes move tasks without thinking about consequences. The warning gives them a moment to consider whether deferring is truly what they want to do.

Teaches Responsibility

By explicitly stating "this task has a deadline" and "it will be past due," the system teaches children that deadlines are real commitments, not arbitrary suggestions.

Reduces Parent Conflict

Instead of parents saying "you can't defer that," the system delivers the message objectively. This reduces friction between parents and children over task management.

Maintains Autonomy

The child can still choose to proceed with the deferral. The warning informs but does not prevent. This respects the child's agency while ensuring they make an informed choice.

Warning vs. Prevention

It's important to understand that Deadline Warnings inform rather than prevent:

With Warnings

Child attempts to defer → System shows warning → Child decides to proceed or cancel → Task deferred or completed

Maintains child autonomy while providing information. Child learns from the decision.

With Prevention

Child attempts to defer → System blocks action → Child must complete or keep task → No deferral possible

Prevents the action entirely but may feel restrictive. Requires parent intervention to override.

The warning approach is generally preferred because it teaches children to make good decisions rather than simply preventing bad ones.

Configuration Options

Parents can customize how deadline warnings behave:

Setting Default Description
Enable Warnings On Show warnings when deferring deadline tasks
Penalty Amount -5 points Points deducted when deferring past deadline
Penalty Type Deferral only When penalty applies: deferral, completion, or both
Warning Style Standard Standard, Gentle, or Strict messaging tone

Setting Deadlines

When creating or editing tasks, you can set an optional deadline. Deadlines work as follows:

  • Optional: Not all tasks need deadlines. Use them for time-sensitive items.
  • Time Specific: Set both date and time for precise deadline control.
  • Visual Indicator: Tasks with deadlines show a small clock or calendar icon.
  • Near Deadline: Tasks approaching their deadline may show additional visual cues.
  • Past Deadline: Overdue tasks may display differently to indicate their status.

Good Candidates for Deadlines

  • Homework assignments due before school
  • Tasks with external commitments (appointments, lessons)
  • Chores that affect others (setting table before meals)
  • Any task where lateness has real consequences

Tasks That May Not Need Deadlines

  • Daily routines that can be done anytime
  • Chores without time sensitivity
  • Bonus tasks or extra responsibilities
  • New habits being established

Age Considerations

The effectiveness of deadline warnings varies by age and maturity:

Age Group Recommendation
4-6 years Use sparingly. Focus on simple routine tasks rather than complex deadlines. Warnings may confuse young children.
7-9 years Good for homework and important tasks. Keep penalties small. Use gentle warning tones.
10-12 years Full functionality appropriate. Children can understand consequences and make informed choices.
13+ years May prefer fewer warnings for more autonomy. Consider making warnings optional per child.

Troubleshooting

Child Ignores Warnings

If children consistently proceed past warnings without consideration:

  • Increase the point penalty to make consequences more meaningful
  • Have a conversation about why the deadline matters
  • Consider whether the deadline is realistic for this child
  • Model good deadline management yourself

Child Anxious About Warnings

If warnings cause stress or anxiety:

  • Reduce or eliminate penalties for missed deadlines
  • Use "Gentle" warning style instead of "Strict"
  • Reduce the number of tasks with deadlines
  • Consider disabling warnings for a period

Warnings Not Appearing

If warnings should trigger but don't:

  • Verify the feature is enabled in child settings
  • Check that the task actually has a deadline set
  • Ensure the deadline is for today or earlier
  • Confirm you're using the "Do Tomorrow" or date change action

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