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Original poster

Screen time at restaurants

82 replies

SMLSML · 07/02/2025 15:56

We've recently come back from a family holiday at Bluestone and when we went out for dinner both nights the majority of parents used screens at the table for their kids (ages probably from 1-10). We've never done this as our 4 year old has always been happy enough colouring or joining in with us but she's now started to notice other kids and asks for her tablet or to watch a show. To be clear I'm not judging other parents that do do this, it's more of how do we say no to our little one without her feeling like she's the only one and missing out. I don't want to give the tablet to her as I feel it means she doesn't learn to sit and engage plus if other kids weren't on them she wouldn't ask. As I said, I'm not judging as we do use screens for long journeys and other things, it's just how do we tell her why she can't, as 4 is still quite young to understand 😞

OP posts:
mamajong · 07/02/2025 16:14

Each to their own, we tend to have no screens/phones during meals but occasionally relax that if we are eating out with friends and family whose kids do have screens. Like with other parenting aspects, you just say everyone has their own rules and these are ours.

yakamoza · 07/02/2025 16:10

Regardless of the child's age, this sort of thing can only be done by example, i.e. if you as a family at dinner are all engaged in a conversation and engage your kids in it too, I don't see where the devices would come into it. When my son got older (to teens), I used to tell him and my husband at dinner table/restaurants etc that I didn't want us to have any devices at the table and we all just talked, i.e. the same rule for all.

Montuaklighthouse · 07/02/2025 16:09

The old ‘I’m not judging but…’.

Surely you have enough of a brain to work out what to say to your own child, without having to write a thinly veiled judgy post asking for help with this..

MissyB1 · 07/02/2025 16:08

You just say "we like talking to you at the table, and we love seeing your brilliant colouring ".

mumonthehill · 07/02/2025 16:05

I find it so sad to see kids on tech when out having a meal and our dc have never done it. We have always enjoyed eating and talking together even in those harder toddler years when we had books and colouring with us.

PolarBear4788 · 07/02/2025 16:02

I'm with you on this. We didn't let our DD use tech at the dinner table at home or when eating out. Much nicer to have a conversation. She's a teen now and sometimes the only decent conversation we get with her is over the dinner table 🤣

PolarBear4788 · 07/02/2025 15:58

"Different families have different rules about all sorts of things. Our rule about thus is no phones or tablets at the table"