How often does your 8year old use their IPads / Games consoles?

[scratchyscratchy]

Out of interest really - I'm not a huge fan of Screen time and a passing comment was made at Me yesterday that I was a 'mean Mummy' for how much I allow DD on the IPad when most of her Friends have free run
(Remark was made by a School Friends Mum)

We don't allow any devices Mon-Fri, we also as a Family have a No screens day on Sunday. DD is allowed to play a game after School on Friday for an Hour before Dinner, then 2 Hours on Saturday Morning before activities. Is that too harsh? I can't see any benefit to allowing her to use it more? Very occasionally is there's a long car journey ahead she can watch a Movie on Netflix too.

Nope sounds great. Won't be long before you will get the push back from your child and be nagged day and night for more screen time. If that's what your family want to do right now then you do that. I'm saying your child is allowed to draw or play outside or play with toys and things like that instead so there's no issue at all. Ignore the judgmental mum at the school, how dare she comment on your parenting

Thank you @quietnightmare - I left the conversation feeling guilty but DC honestly don't ask to go on more, she's a real bookworm normally so I didn't even consider her 'needing' to go online more!

I have a nearly 8 yr old. She is allowed 30 mins a day.

Sounds fine to me.
we are similar to be honest, my children are almost 7 and 9 and are still very much into imaginative play.
Mon -Thursdays they have various clubs after school so no time for tv or games consoles.
Friday we will occasionally watch TV together for an hour afterschool.
we have a family game console which my eldest (additional needs) has zero in unless we all play something together, which we will do on a rainy Saturday. Otherwise we are usually outside at the weekends
Saturday evening we will watch an hour ish of TV together or a film. Same goes for Sunday if we are in the house.
it’s not really a conscious thing, it’s just how we are.
Neither child owns a device and youngest loves reading so we use comics and card games as a distraction when they are expected to sit still for too long (both struggle with sitting still :) )
I have been called old fashioned and mean and someone told me I was holding them back in a world of technology!
Just do what comes naturally to your family, things change very quickly as they get older. I’m pretty sure I will end up trying to have a conversation with a couple of grumpy teenagers as they are glued to their phones in a few years!

I think this is a really tough issue - our current approach is that there are no set limits but devices are only available when homework and practices have been done and they're used in the house not carted round to activities, visiting others, restaurants etc. We're a busy family and kids enjoy their other activities and interests so that seems to balance out ok on its own. 10 year old apparently has a reading age of 17 - I'm reassured in a way that he chooses reading over screens much of the time, I think it's setting up good habits for the future.

Dd is 7 and I don’t have any limits really as I found it makes her become obsessive. But she does have rules ie not in the mornings before school, and never in bed.

We play the switch together quite often, and she has her iPad after school once she’s done her reading with me.

Weekends I’m pretty relaxed about it. But she’ll often choose to do crafts or play instead. And I think because she knows she can use it if she wants it hasn’t become this magical, special thing that she’s only allowed to use within strict time limits that it doesn’t create an obsession around it.

I don’t take it if we go out anywhere ie for dinner, she has activity books for restaurants. It’s worked well for us so far.

You're doing the right thing by your daughter. Keep up what you're doing. It doesn't matter what other people say.

My is 7 but similar to you, on swimming lesson nights I allow a little bit after he has done his homework. This is because nearly ever other child is on a screen whilst waiting for siblings to finish swimming and I prefer to allow him on my phone rather than him going over and watching other children's because then I know what he is watching/doing. The end point is when he gets into the pool.

Allowed on the weekend but more difficult with older siblings.

There's a bit of judginess going both ways on this issue. I'd she's happy with it and you are no need for changing it. Older children/teens tend to want more and that's an issue for then. Also, allowing a bit more than you (speaking generally) does not mean other kids are sat in a screen and don't read/play sports/go out.

Mine is 11 now, but at 8 she had neither an ipad or a games console for regular use. She would be allowed an ipad for things like travel or if we were on a camping trip and we wanted her to have some chill out time in the evening before bed (with headphones). But not for use around the house day-to-day.

Even at 11, she has a switch that she has free access to, but doesn't use that much (or else we'd restrict access) and no phone or ipad. I suspect we are much stricter than most. All her friends, bar one, seem to be constantly on snapchat and tiktok but it's just an absolute no go in our house.

I don't put a limit on but she is at school from 8-6 most days (wraparound care) so feel like she needs a bit of down time when she is home. At the weekend we have activities or are visiting family often . She is quite good at playing with toys etc still so just have never felt like i need to restrict.

Mine is nearly 8, she has free run of her Kindle Fire and always has, but i never get any arguments when i tell her it's time to put it away.
She plays with toys a lot, crafts a lot, does her homework before any screen time and we go out for walks/park etc when the weather is good, so i see no reason to limit her.
Do what works for you.

My son has a limit of 4 hours a day and I’m saying that unapologetically (sp?) he can’t go in it before 6:30 am or after 7pm though. Some days he will use the full 4 hours other days he’s not on it so much.

Hes passionate about coding and editing videos/graphics so im helping him enhance that skill rather then killing the dream because of too much screen time.

he also trains at a sports academy for 5 hours a week so he’s very active

My 8 year old is allowed 20 min screen time per day (in practice it's usually closer to 30), and doesn't own a device. Still very much into imaginative play and loves reading, but amazing at coding too despite the time limit. I don't think it's a "need" to have an own ipad etc. and/or unrestricted screen time at this age.