I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle every time I try to get my son off the tablet or turn off the TV. It’s like asking him to give up a part of himself, and it always ends in drama. He won’t listen, he just ignores me, gets angry, yells, and even challenges me to a game to see who can last longer without giving in. Last night I told him it was time to sleep and asked him to turn off the console, nothing. I repeated myself three times, and he just kept playing. When I finally took the controller away, it was pure chaos. Screams, cries, kicks… you name it. I was beyond exhausted after a long day, and there he was, defiantly staring at me. I ended up feeling like the worst mother in the world, but I just couldn’t let him win because I know I’d be back to square one. Has anyone else gone through this? What do I do?? 
My son is exactly the same. I’ve tried everything from gentle reminders to taking the controller away, and it always turns into a meltdown. It’s so draining, especially after a long day. You’re not alone in this, mama!
I know how you feel. My daughter’s just turned 7, and when it’s time to turn off the TV or stop gaming, it’s like the world’s ending. What’s been the hardest for me is when I start to feel guilty like I’m being too harsh, but then I remind myself that boundaries are so important. We’ve started setting timers and giving her warnings before screen time is up, sometimes it helps to give them a heads-up before the meltdown starts. I get it though, these situations can leave you feeling so worn out. Stay strong, you’re doing your best
Oh my gosh, the “who can last longer” challenge, my son is the king of that. 
He’s totally into testing me like that too, and it always ends in tears (his, not mine, haha). I’ve started turning it into a game where I get to “win” (which he hates). Like, "Oh you want to keep playing? Well, I’ll just be over here with my book and my cup of tea.” It’s not a perfect fix, but it gets a laugh out of me when I’m about to lose my mind!
I’ve been there, and honestly, it’s exhausting. What helped me was to get really consistent with the limits. First, I set up a “screen time schedule” where they know they only have X amount of hours each day for screens. I also make sure to give them plenty of heads-up, like “15 minutes left,” “5 minutes left,” etc. When the time’s up, I don’t negotiate. It sounds harsh, but I just calmly take the controller or tablet and say it’s time to move on to the next thing. Of course, they still whine, but I’m firm about it. I also started rewarding them for transitions, like a sticker chart where they get a point for successfully turning off the screen with minimal drama. Over time, it’s gotten better, but it’s still a work in progress. Just know that you’re not alone and it gets easier as they get older!
I’ve been there too, and it honestly feels like you’re speaking my life. What worked for us was creating a visual schedule for screen time. I put up a chart with all the activities of the day, and screen time has a clear, non, negotiable block of time. When the time is up, I give him a two, minute warning and then an actual 1 minute warning before it’s time to stop. If he resists, I calmly explain that once the timer goes off, the screen goes off. I also made sure to spend extra time during the day being active or doing something he enjoys so he’s not so reliant on screens for entertainment. It’s not always easy, but I promise consistency goes a long way. You’ve got this!
I can totally relate! When my oldest was around that age, we went through the exact same thing. My approach was to not let him have the power in the situation, like you, I didn’t want to feel like the “bad guy” but knew I couldn’t just let him win. We actually started implementing “no screens after dinner” which was really tough in the beginning, but it helped him learn boundaries. What also helped was creating a ritual around it, after screen time, we’d do something together, like reading a story or playing a quick game, so he had something to look forward to. At first, there were tears, but eventually, it clicked. It took a little while, but trust me, it’s worth sticking with it
Screams, kicks, and the “I’m not giving up” look, yep, been there, done that! Hang in there, mama!
I know the feeling. My son used to throw tantrums over every single screen time transition, and it left me feeling so drained. What really worked for us was doing a gradual reduction in screen time, where we’d first shorten the amount of screen time he was allowed during the day, and then do a fun activity afterward. That way, it wasn’t just about taking something away, it was about replacing it with something positive. We also started having him help set the timer, so he knew when the time was up. We got there eventually, but it took consistency and patience. You’re doing great. It’s not easy, but you’ll get through it!