What if I just say yes all the time?

[Cobblersandhogwash]

It feels like the Christmas holidays have been going on a long time!

Two of our dcs are obsessed with their iPhone/iPad. They are 13 and 11.

We restrict their internet access to 3 hours per day during the holidays. As it shuts off at 10pm every night. Back on at 8am.

We take away their gadgets for rude or uncooperative behaviour.

But the constant nagging and pestering for more time or the return of the gadgets before they're due back is just wearing us down. There have been a lot of confiscations this holidays!

What if I just said yes, have your gadgets, unlimited access etc etc?

Would I be unleashing the Kraken, so go speak? Or should they learn to self regulate?

Id definetly just let them have a day where they just crack on with whatever they fancy. Just leave them to it and see how they get on. Free pass day.

Give yourself a break from the nagging and monitoring etc.

I think your 13yo is getting to an age where 3 hours is overly restrictive.

I don't restrict time spent during the day although the wifi goes off at 10 and all devices have to be in our room at bedtime. No real problems, dc still go out with friends/watch tv with us. My dc are 11 and 13. My 16yo has unlimited access but is autistic so i pick my battles!

I'd tackle the constant pestering by adding time on to the confiscation. "If you ask me again ypure not getting it back till dinner time" that sort of thing, but my dc are younger than yours.

That said, saying yes to everything for a day won't cause anyone any harm. I did it once, we had a weird but very relaxed weekend!

We rarely restrict DS11's iPad use in that way - we just make sure he has plenty of other activities so that he's not on it all day. If we restricted his use to a certain number of hours or minutes, he'd be obsessed with it and constantly asking for more.

Instead, I pop in to his room and say, come out for a cycle or to the shops, or get a pal round for football or shall we play a board game, etc. Works for us

If I allowed my 11 year old to self regulate he would be on 24/7!

I do a bit of both.
Weekdays or weekends when we have family plans I limit the time. Make it clear how long you will allow and then stick to it - no adding on extra time no matter how much they beg.
However some days, particularly in school hols, I just let them have as much time as they want.
It’s a balance.

We’re often out I say no gadgets until 3 then there’s no pestering.
They always find something else to do and I always give them a chore or two.