Game Minutes: How the Balance Works
Game minutes are Learning Hub's currency. Your child earns them through studying and spends them on screen time. The balance works like a bank account: income increases it, expenses decrease it.
Where minutes come from
Minutes are automatically awarded for every academic event:
Grades
Each grade is immediately converted into minutes:
| Grade | Minutes | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (excellent) | +15 | Best result |
| 2 (good) | +10 | Good result |
| 3 (satisfactory) | 0 | No change |
| 4 (poor) | −20 | Penalty |
| 5 (fail) | −25 | Maximum penalty |
Whether the grade came automatically from the school system or was entered manually — minutes are awarded in both cases.
Homework
- Submitted on time → +10 minutes
- Overdue → −10 minutes
More details in the Homework section.
Bonus tasks
Your child can earn extra minutes by completing bonus tasks on weak topics. The grade for the task is converted to minutes using the same table as regular grades.
More details in the Bonus Tasks section.
Where minutes are spent
When your child plays, the parent tells the bot how many minutes were used. The bot deducts these minutes from the balance.
The bot doesn't control screen time directly — it keeps track. The parent decides whether to allow playing with a negative balance.
Manual adjustments
Sometimes you need to add or deduct minutes outside the standard rules. For example:
- Child helped with chores → parent adds a bonus
- Broke an agreement → parent applies a penalty
To do this, write to the bot, for example:
- "Add 20 minutes for helping with cleaning"
- "Deduct 30 minutes for breaking the agreement"
Transaction types
Every balance change is a transaction of a specific type:
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Automatically on receiving a grade | A in math: +15 min |
| Homework | On submission or overdue | Submitted on time: +10 min |
| Bonus task | On completing an extra task | Physics task: +10 min |
| Manual adjustment | Bonus or penalty from parent | Helped with chores: +20 min |
| Gaming | Deduction for screen time | Played 30 minutes: −30 min |
Weekly report
Every Saturday morning the bot sends the child a weekly report:
- What was earned (grades, homework, bonuses)
- What was spent (screen time, penalties)
- Current balance
The report is written in a friendly tone — praises successes, gently mentions setbacks.
Not just games
Game minutes are an abstraction. You and your child can agree on any rules: minutes can convert to pocket money, a trip to the cinema, or any other reward at your discretion. The system keeps track — what the minutes stand for is up to you.
Negative balance
The balance can go negative. This means the child has spent more minutes than earned. The system honestly shows the negative balance, but the decision about consequences is up to the parent.
What's next
- Grades — how grades enter the system
- Bonus Tasks — how to earn extra minutes
- Configuration — how to change the conversion table