Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Screen time? - no judgement.

29 replies

Santasunhelpfulhelper · 05/07/2020 16:06

I’ve been home schooling three children, I’m usually the only adult in the house, running our own business etc has meant screen time for the kids has gone through the roof.

How long does your child spend on a screen each day (not including school work)?

Mine are 8 and 10 and they now get three hours to play online games and at least one of them spends hours and hours on YouTube too. If I didn’t pull him off he’d spend 12 hours in front of the iPad.

I need a reasonable target to aim for for the summer holidays. Everyone has just stormed off when I suggested two hours a day 😬

(The Daily Mail is full of shite)

OP posts:
memememe · 05/07/2020 16:20

prob not what you want to hear but mine (12 and 9) have unlimited screen time until dinner. as do i. it works well for us. they come and go as they like. we do go out and do things (bike rides, walks etc) and they are happy most of the time to do that. sometimes they are on all day sometimes they arent. its their choice.

cheeseismydownfall · 05/07/2020 16:26

Before lockdown, I would have said 1-2 hours on a weekday, 2-3 hours tops at the weekend. Its gradually been creeping up though. Mine don't seem to self regulate at all so I have to enforce limits, which they accept happily enough because it has always been that way. I'm jealous of parents whose children can be left to their own devices (no pun intended) and who will come of their screens of their own accord to do more wholesome things!

Ulrikaka · 05/07/2020 16:26

Mine doesn't bother with her phone or a computer, but can rack up the entire time between waking and sleeping in front of the tv. I have no problem with this at the moment as there is nothing to suggest as a better option. When there is more she can do, she will. Until then, she is getting an education in the great films of the last 60 years or so.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General education
Bearfrills · 05/07/2020 16:31

We have no limits on screen time, sometimes they're on they're tablets or games for ages and other times they'll not touch them all day but I'd rather save my energy for bigger battles.

Bearfrills · 05/07/2020 16:32

*they're = their

tittysprinkles · 05/07/2020 16:43

Hours and hours and hours and hours...

But we do other things like play outside, go for bike rides, go for country walks, talk to each other, a bit of school work so it all events out.

I do wish they'd open the bloody schools full time though.

Minikievs · 05/07/2020 16:43

Shit loads. Ds 10 would be on Xbox/phone/tablet from the minute he woke up til the minute he went to bed if I didn't stop him. Dd 6 does sometimes put the tablet down of her own accord.
Most of the time they're off it is because we are either out, or I've explicitly said no electronics.
I'm a single parent, WFH. It's fucking tough to drag them off it.

Billyjoearmstrong · 05/07/2020 16:49

I’ve never had limits on screen time, never have. I honestly don’t have a problem with it.

DeepSleepBathSoak · 05/07/2020 17:01

I have a limit of 2 hours on the computer for my 8yo, he can use that for Roblox, Minecraft or YouTube (and has to earn it with schoolwork and exercise). If he is building something in a game when the time runs out I often give him more, but if all he's doing is watching DanTDM then that's it. He and his 5yo brother can watch Netflix/iPlayer/DVDs as much as they want, the small one doesn't choose to do this much but the older one has HF ASD and struggles to find other things to do/is not very open to suggestions so racks up a few hours a day.

LucyLocketsPocket · 05/07/2020 17:03

No limits here either. I don't believe it's damaging.
Things will be different in September. This is just temporary.

Tiny2018 · 05/07/2020 17:03

No limit, but they also do lots of drawing, board games, biking, roller skating etc.
For many parents, technology helps in retaining sanity.

Original poster
Santasunhelpfulhelper · 05/07/2020 17:08

Screens are the only thing that buys me silence and it’s a price I’ve been willing to pay up to now, but I’m particularly worried about DS. He has no self regulation, is grumpy and tired most of the time. He doesn’t seem to find any pleasure in anything apart from Roblox or YouTube.

And it can’t be good for their eyes?

OP posts:
teaflake · 05/07/2020 17:20

Mine had no limits and became self-limiting.

How do you limit your own screen time, op?

Minikievs · 05/07/2020 17:20

I think the grumpiness and tiredness is a mild depression if I'm honest. My 10yo is exactly the same. He gets excited about nothing and is honestly just horrible at times.
However I can't say I blame him to be honest. He misses his friends, he misses school, misses routine. Is bored of being with his little sister all day.
I am exactly the same as him but I have the outlet of social media, phone calls, interaction with colleagues on zoom etc.
I was shouting at him a lot, out of frustration, but I think I need to cut him some slack.

spiderlight · 05/07/2020 17:24

Loads, at the moment - it's the only way he gets to socialise with his friends, and after a few battles over what I feel he 'should' be doing, I've cut him a lot more slack just because he must be so fed up of being stuck at home (only child). He and his friends have started playing Minecraft online again in the past week or two and he's been so much happier, and he's watching some surprisingly educational stuff on YouTube, so I'm trying not to worry about it.

sirfredfredgeorge · 05/07/2020 17:29

is grumpy and tired most of the time. He doesn’t seem to find any pleasure in anything apart from Roblox or YouTube

Given the current alternatives, that's not surprising, if he was turning down in person peer interaction then it would be more concerning.

And it can’t be good for their eyes?

As long as they get lots of regular time outdoors, then it doesn't matter - indeed without time outdoors then any sort of indoor only activity can lead to short sightedness, the problem is not so much the screens, it's never having to focus on anything far away.

Groundhogdayzz · 05/07/2020 17:31

Way too much, don’t see much option at the moment though. I’m working, they are home all day, and there are no school/clubs running. If we get chance to do anything else I encourage them to do that eg bike rides, walks, see friends. Just doing what we can to all survive at the moment.

fairyfingers · 05/07/2020 17:35

Mine are 10. No real limit to tv time but they have to watch what dh and I watch if we are also around which I find an excellent control as dh likes lots of stuff about aircraft crashes and great feats of engineering. They have also watched some great classic movies - I am never going to object to them wanting to watch some like it hot!

Weekend tablet time for watching YouTube shite where they have a few hours but nothing in the week even now.

They have a switch and play some games on the laptop dh downloaded. No massive limit but will play every day. They do always ask first and we rarely say no unless they've not done anything active at all.

They walk/cycle/skate every day, play in the garden, play Lego, read and play board games. So happy with the balance here.

Sleephead1 · 05/07/2020 17:37

Well mines younger only 7 and an only child so no acsess to older siblings computers he doesnt have a tablet or anything. If he needs to do school work on the computer he can use my laptop though. He usually watches about 1 -2 hours of tv usually in the morning when we are getting up and sorted. He sometimes does other things while its on like play ect so is not really watching. He has started to enjoy Audibooks so sometimes listens to this while I'm cooking. Not sure if your children would enjoy as a alternative? I think lots of people are using more screen time than they normally would as it's a really odd situation if you are worried or think it's becoming a problem maybe you could think of some time consuming activities based on their interests ? Building models , making things', learning a new craft, new jigsaws , board games ect

reefedsail · 05/07/2020 17:44

Mine had no limit during lockdown other than during home-school (almost all on a screen anyway) and whilst out for a walk.

We've now imposed a limit as more of his activities are back on and DH is on holiday rather then WFH (2 hrs a day currently, with the promise of a more when he's got himself a bit fitter again).

First couple of days it was like we had murdered his best friend, but he's getting used to it again now.

Atadaddicted · 05/07/2020 17:47

I’m an absolute right ass on!

Term time (inc home Schooling)
Tv - 1 hour a day
Switch 2x half hour sessions

Holidays
Tv - 2 hours (One film)
Switch 2x half hour

Scion286 · 05/07/2020 17:49

DS is 11 and he’s on screens loads. He’s back at school so I’ve got no problem with him going on when he gets home. I’d rather that than him out playing with the little shits that live in our street!

In the summer holidays as long as he’s been out at some point during the day-to walk the dog, meet friends in the park, visit family or ride his bike then it’s up to him what he does with the rest of his time.

labyrinthloafer · 05/07/2020 18:02

We don't have limits, but they didnt/don't have their own iPads etc., so it doesn't come up as an issue tbh as it isn't to hand all the time.

I think it massively depends what they are doing. If mine said they wanted to watch a whole documentary series I would be less bothered than the same amount of time just on YouTube watching nonsense. When they use it to do something it feels fine. when they mindlessly do it to kill time I think they'd be better in the garden.

I would say two hours is plenty. The problem is if you restrict it in that way, it makes it more of a thing?

FishyDuck · 05/07/2020 18:06

I have 3 non-adult DC. DS2 (16) in year 12, DS3 (14) in year 10 and DD (13) in year 8. In our house, screen time depends on age and also has to be earned through study.

Each DC is expected to do a certain amount of (age-dependent) homework/revision per night and weekend that allows them to earn screen time. So for example DS3 has to do 2 hours of study each weeknight and 3 hours over the weekend- this allows him to earn 2 hours of screen time per weeknight and 6 hours over the weekend. This has to include all of his gaming, TV time and phone use.

All of my DC also have to ask permission for screen time and they know we will not give it if their behaviour etc is not up to scratch. So DS will do his study first- he then has to show us what he's done and ask "please may I watch Netflix" or "please can I go on Facebook" or whatever.

The DC can also earn extra screen time through extra study/productive educational activities like language learning. This allows them to earn double the amount of extra studying they do- so if DS does 3 hours of work one evening, he gets 2 hours of extra screen time to use throughout the week when he wishes.

labyrinthloafer · 05/07/2020 18:08

@fishyduck

That's quite complex!!

Swipe left for the next trending thread