Do you let your kids keep their phones with them overnight?

[Afternooninthepark]

Ds is 14 and dd 12.
Up until recently I have always taken their phones and iPads down to the kitchen overnight even though ds has protested.
However, since the lockdown and lack of school I have seriously let things slip including bedtimes and have been letting them keep their phones overnight (Although I make them switch them off at bedtime). I am pretty confident that dd sleeps through the night but ds has let slip that a couple of times he has woken around 3am as he couldn’t sleep and watches Friday Night Dinner, then of course he can’t get up in the morning.
I seriously need to get us all back into some kind of routine and have told them today that things will go back to normal and I will take their devices away at nighttime as before.
Ds is really unhappy saying he is the only one of his age and all his mates keep their phones with them.
Do you take your early teens phones or let them keep them overnight?

DD's 18,16 & 13 all put their phones on charge in our bedroom at bedtime.

DD 19 and DS 15 keep their phones in their rooms but DS switches everything off at 10.30 latest. DD can do what she likes as she's an adult!

I would tell ds it doesnt matter if you are the only one nobody should have phone in bedroom overnight. It is a good habit to leave it elsewhere. No good can come of checking your phone through the night. Also ideally dont have your own phone in the bedroom overnight either so it isnt a child thing it is a household rule (I will struggle with that personally.....but that is what I intend to do)

DD is 12. She keeps hers but puts it down at bedtime. I suppose it depends on whether your child is going to sleep right through or be up in the night.
During lockdown I'd probably let them do whatever makes them happy (within reason) and impose more structure when school restarts.

Our DC are definitely not allowed phones in their bedrooms overnight. Similar ages. It's non negotiable for the same reasons that you describe OP.

Yes all 3 DC keep their phones. They are responsible and if I thought they were watching youtube at all hours, we would have words.

DS1 is 19 - so an adult
DS2 is 15 - he is a competitive rower and gets up 4 x a week at 4.15am. He is more self disciplined than I am about bed time - lights out by 8.45, so he can get a minimum 7.5 hours sleep.
DD is 13 and genuinely prefers books to her phone. Just asked her and she was bemused about phone use after bedtime.

Horses for courses.

I think from 15/16 I’ll start loosening the rules but dd is 12 and leave phone on docking station downstairs. I have my phone by my bed as that’s what the fire service advised when they did a home safety check and it’s the phone my parents would call if there was an emergency.

I’ve explained this to dd and when she’s an adult/almost an adult. I’d really like it downstairs while she’s 14 (this feels like a hideous and wonderful age where independence begins but other girls are mean).

I was happier when the phones were downstairs (ours always go in the kitchen too, I’ve never had mine in my room). I’m a bit more easy going with these things (hence the relaxing of the rules during lockdown) and would continue with this but as I suspect ds is going back on his phone I am going to have to take it away.

DD15 leaves her phone in the living room.

It started as a "rule" but she is ok with it as her friends are all night owls so messages ping around until 1-2am sometimes.. DD likes her sleep!

No electronics are in bedrooms, ours included. We have old fashion alarm clocks and DD uses her Alexa for alarms.

Just give them a couple of days warning and than it is back to normality.

Yes. 15 and 14 yr old DDs. They are sensible and self-limit their screen time.

13 and 15 year olds here, all phones (including mine) on charge in a separate room downstairs at night.

Absolutely not. All the family (including adults) leave phones charging downstairs at night.

I have never taken phones away at night. DH and I also have our phones in our bedroom. This has not caused any problems.
The DC are now both over 18.

I would keep the phones in my room until around 15/16. I know my kids would be on them until daft o clock when they get to the age of having phones.

I feel like I should take them off them, but I didn't persist with it. I was mainly worried about social media pinging all night (it does get more active after 10pm). However I am less worried currently. Dd1 16 never responds to messages after 9 I have noticed and is often asleep by then. Dd2 can watch Netflix too late at night but not too bad. I noticed both of them use 'screen time limiting' apps, so I am happy they seem to have learned to self regulate. I did a contract with them about phone use which I make them re-read occasionally.

Mine have them. I have no issues.

But why leave them charging at night? Do you mean all night? Whatever for, as they don’t take all night to charge.

We all leave our phone downstairs at bedtime in our house.

All dcs leave any electronics downstairs

dh and I take our phones up, I keep mine on silent but dh has his on in case of emergencies (we run a transport business so calls anytime) also we need ours next to us because we get alerts from our ring doorbell

In normal times, no, I’m very strict about it. They stay downstairs on charge in the kitchen. DT1 would be sensible and turn it off at an appropriate time, the other one would be up at all hours. Which is exactly what is happening. DT2 is practically nocturnal.

Mine are older than yours, year 11. They have no school work to do. Apart from 30 minutes of exercise and 30 mins of chores have nothing to do all day.

I’m not sure whether to reign it back in again at some point before they start at college, or whether to let them learn the hard way that it’s not a great idea to be watching films till 4am when you have to be up at 7.

DS 17 and DD15. Phones always downstairs at night but I always have to collect them otherwise it wouldn't happen. DD regularly has a moan but then just surrenders the phone. During the week I collect the phones at 10. At the weekend more like 11-11.30. We've kept to this routine during lockdown.

Will that change when they get to 18 @Hellvelyn?

Ds is 11. His phone comes to living room at night time. He doesn't mind but guess that will change as he gets older.

no phones or devices in any bedroom, adult or child - sleep thief. and not charging overnight either, fire risk. As most phones have crap battery life, this enforces time without them during the day.

insomniacs can read a book. What other parents do is of no relevance.

Ds’s 13 phone goes into our room at night time aswell as his PS4 controllers as he was playing on that way into the early hours when he couldn’t sleep.