Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are there any apps that control screen time?

31 replies

TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 16:40

Sorry posting for traffic. Just wondered if there are any apps for controlling screen time on kids (11 & 13) Iphones?

I have heard an ad for one on the radio but it was android devices. I want them to wind down by reading at bedtime but they sneak onto their phones. I have thought about taking their phones at a certain time but they use them for alarm. (My 13 year old likes getting up at 6...I don’t...)

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
SophieMumOf2SW · 28/05/2026 23:59

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

katkit · 15/01/2020 14:37

there are lots of paid apps, but i've just managed it for free- do you have your own apple device though? it assumes you do:

create an apple id for each person and connect them. theirs will be child ones. you can go into settings and set the hours in which they can use the devices, and the total number of hours they can use them for. i could find a link to explain better, if you like?

artisanparsnips · 15/01/2020 14:32

Interestingly, quite a few other kids at DD's school also have screen time limits so if they have to Google something it's done by the person with most time left on their phone...

champagneandfromage50 · 14/01/2020 21:20

I haven't had any issues with using the family
Sharing. Downtime is set and if he wants to use any extra I need to agree to it or if he wants to download anymore apps I have to agree too. My DS sleeps better as I control from afar

Drizzzle · 14/01/2020 21:18

Plenty of people on other threads say their children don't have their phones in their bedrooms all night, so I am sure that "everyone " isn't allowed them all night ;)

Original poster
TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 21:18

I tried it but it started restricting things before I’d set it to and then it took me ages to turn it off! So I’m just going with the less technical option lol

OP posts:
champagneandfromage50 · 14/01/2020 21:14

You just need to add your DC phone on family sharing on your iPhone. I have my DS and limit his screen time from that. It's really
Quite simple

Original poster
TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 21:09

I couldn’t get it to work properly so the rule is phones with me at bedtime now

OP posts:
doritosdip · 14/01/2020 18:25

Taking it off them is the easiest way to police it.

How can you catch them if it's after bedtime?

Emmelina · 14/01/2020 18:13

If you catch them trying to get around it, they lose the device. It’s not hard to parent Hmm

doritosdip · 14/01/2020 17:48

You know that they can get around screen time by changing the time on their phone? So if device is set to disable at 9pm, they can change their phone time to say New York and the phone thinks it's mid afternoon and allows access. There's probably other hacks too

artisanparsnips · 14/01/2020 17:34

We use Qustodio, which is free for a bit so you can try it out - it's slightly less easy to get round than the Google. There's also another called OurPact. They've both got slightly different features so worth researching to see which might suit you better

flirtygirl · 14/01/2020 17:30

Just coming on to say Google family link but kitk beat me to it.

I love this app as I home ed so I can lock her phone to enable her to do her work and now I can control bedtime better. I used to remove her phone at bedtime but she would hide it and tell me she couldn't find it, this is so much easier. First week was hard and now it's second nature.

Emmelina · 14/01/2020 17:04

Good luck, I didn’t tell mine I was doing it! I wasn’t popular the first few nights!! Blush

kitk · 14/01/2020 17:00

Google family link

pullingmyhairout2 · 14/01/2020 16:57

I use Kaspersky safe kids. Though my daughter has an Android phone so don't know if it would work with yours. Can do loads of things on there to keep them safe.

Original poster
TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 16:55

Thanks @Emmelina

Can’t wait to see what happens at 9pm 😂

OP posts:
Emmelina · 14/01/2020 16:54

Seems I’ve cross posted Smile

Emmelina · 14/01/2020 16:53

There’s something called Screen time on iOS. Only the most recent versions though (maybe from 11 on but don’t quote me).
You can set time limits on individual apps and have the phone lock down completely between certain hours, if you wanted. It’s in settings.

Are there any apps that control screen time?
Original poster
TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 16:53

Hmm how? I have to put a passcode in from my phone to take it off.

OP posts:
annualleavepurchase · 14/01/2020 16:52

They'll probably just figure out a way to turn off the downtime tbh

DesLynamsMoustache · 14/01/2020 16:51

🎉🎉🎉

Original poster
TheFuzzyStar · 14/01/2020 16:50

@DesLynamsMoustache so they do!!! Have just locked them down from 9pm-6am!

OP posts:
annualleavepurchase · 14/01/2020 16:50

I think you’re probably right. I have said the same to them and they think I’m ridiculous because everyone has their phones in their rooms

Tbh it's not really up to them and that's exactly what I'd tell them. They go in your room to charge by 9pm and they can have them back when they've had breakfast and are ready for school (will avoid faffing)

DesLynamsMoustache · 14/01/2020 16:47

So in this instance, you could set downtime between say 9 and 7 and only allow the clock app to be used during this time.