What are the mobile phone rules in your house?

[Dieu]

Hi. Single parent of 3 here, working full-time (always home for my kids after school though) and generally exhausted!
If I'm being perfectly honest with you, I have been too lax over their mobile phone usage (ie how long they are on it). I want to pull it back now though, and establish better control.
My kids are 18, 13 and 10. The youngest doesn't have her own phone, but likes to use mine for games etc. I am strict about what she's doing on there though.
I'm curious as to how other parents work mobile phone usage generally, and the rules you have in place, regarding timings, etc.
Thanks for your comments.

The 18 year old is an adult tbf. My DD 15, has hers with her all the time, even at night. She’s pretty good though, no 2am texting (she’s too knackered). Main rule is none at the table or when we have guests.

If they have IPhones, you can put screentime restrictions on them via settings.

Regardless of age, never at mealtimes or when there are guests.

My 12 year old has to hand his phone and ipad to me at bedtime (9.30) and i charge them overnight. Sometimes he is on them a lot, but generally gets bored / tired and wants to go out on his bike with friends after a while.

My older teen boys (16) have theirs at night, but they are pretty sensible i think.

It pisses me off that they all look at their phones on journeys in the car rather than seeing the world and chatting.

No phones at the table AT ALL or if we have visitors / are visiting.

Thanks all. Maybe I'm not as bad as I thought, as I wouldn't allow them at mealtimes either. They are still on them for too long though, and it doesn't sit well with me. I never intended to raise children who are bored unless on devices. I don't intend to apply my new rules (haven't decided on them yet ) to my eldest. She'll be off to uni soon anyway and is a lost cause where her phone is concerned!

No phones upstairs after 7pm, (bedtime is 8ish), never out at mealtimes, random checks are agreed... for their safety rather than checking up and they know this. If we are doing something as a family, journey%
day out etc., they can make calls text etc, but are not allowed to absolve themselves of conversation. Any abuse and they lose it for one weekend day, their choice which day.

I sound like an ogre, but it works... for now.

There are none. My children regulate themselves and do a good job of it.

Just not at the table or when people are talking to them. So just basic manners.
Other than that, no rules.

I'm also a single parent in similar circumstances, I don't have any rules, no one uses a phone if we're eating altogether at the table or if we're eating out but otherwise everyone self regulates, it works fine.

I don't agree with the concept of rules anyway, model the behaviour you want, I'm running a home not an institution

What about free access to safari / YouTube etc? DS is 12, and complaining that we don’t let him have these on his phone when all his friends do.

Otherwise, he has it 7am to 7pm, not at mealtimes or overnight. And at weekends he is persuaded to put it down and get outside for a while every day.

I think at 12 your son should be allowed safari and YouTube etc. Mine has since 10, but with the parental control on his phone that he doesn't know the passcode to.

Don't have any other than not using them when eating together.

DS is 16. No rules here, i’m too lazy and not ashamed to admit it 😂😂

I never had any rules either, I believe kids should be given responsibility.

We never said no phones during meals. But we didn't use them during meals so led by example and neither did she.

We never had any issues that then felt the need for rules, I think if they are "present", not doing anything untoward on there, and able to get up for school in the morning then this isn't the hill to die on.