How can I stop dd sending iphone messages?

[Sleephelpneeded]

Dd has limits on her iPad. During ‘Down time’ she is unable to send iMessages, except to me as I am her emergency contact. It won’t let me block or stop this.

Is there a way I can stop her doing this?

So why can’t you set a 30 min timer on your phone or Alexa to remove the iPad?

Surely the pressing 1 more minute repeatedly is more of an issue than the messages, which are quite cute.

Failing that, tell her not to do it and remove the iPad time if she does. That will stop it.

Children need to learn about technology that will be an integral part of their lives. It's not like those of us growing up in the last millennium who marvelled at a Commodore 64 as the apogee of human achievement.

It's great to practise and become confident with the modern tech, but the big issue, of course, is with youngsters trying to use devices to be in contact with inappropriate people from whom they should be shielded and who could do them serious harm.

Absent any issues of abuse or other concerns, I'm really struggling to see how one of their own parents could be assumed to be amongst these inappropriate people...

If it was just a few it wouldn’t be much of an issue, It’s more the volume than anything as she will send multiples. She then wants a reply to every single one so I thought it best to stop it all together but will take on board what others have said about food reading and writing practice.

Surely you should be supervising her use of the iPad and not letting her loose on it by herself at that age

It’s increibly locked down. She can only use approved websites which she uses for her homework and they’re time capped and the only person she can iMessage is me!

I’m confused, she’s at home, she’s sending massages to you and she wants a reply to every message? Just tell her you won’t reply and ignore messages she’s sending until you want to read them, A message notification is not a command, neither is a 6yo’s insistence on a reply. If she keeps adding a minute walk up and remove the device. I set an alarm on my phone. When it goes off, the kids are required to put the iPads away.

What an odd post - just put your phone down and ignore the messages?!

It's nothing to do with her sending messages more to do with your not taking charge and getting the iPad once time is up. Either way none of ours have them till there much older but I would gladly reply back

So what? She's 6. For a max of 31 minutes a day she can send you messages, it's good practice for her apart from anything!

she's not 18 & sending you pissed messages from nightclubs.

IMO you should give her two separate time allowances, one for homework & 1 for playing games. You don't want to encourage her to rush through her homework just so she squeezes in time to have fun in it.

You don’t need a tech tip to sort this out, you just take it off her or tell her you’re not replying to multiple messages. She’s 6, you’re in charge.

I’ve read all the posts and I’m still a bit confused! Generally it’s probably good practice for reading/spelling to send messages. If she’s only messaging you and can’t access strangers then it’s not really a worry. If you really don’t want her sending messages then tell her not to and have a consequence if she doesn’t listen. If she’s only allowed half an hour, take it off of her when the time is up, maybe given her a 5 minute warning so she can finish her game or whatever she’s doing.

I have a 6 year old, he talks to me constantly from the minute he wakes up, if he started messaging me from another room I think I'd lose my mind

Go to settings and turn off iMessage.

Exactly! I’m glad someone understands! 🙈

I’m guessing most people who have replied do not have a 6 year old who talks to them constantly and wants their attention every second of the day!!

Sending messages to you os good educationally. Either supervise her homework yourself or stop being so uptight, poor kid

I mean, that’s what children do. I’m quite sure most of us have experienced this. You don’t have a super different child. Let’s be real here.

You are going to run into a lot of problems if you deal with issues in the passive manner that you are displaying though. If you want your child to only have a certain time on the iPad you just remove it after said time.

Turn off iMessage, as others have said.

But also - just tell her to stop doing it? And if she doesn't stop doing it, take the iPad away and tell her why. End of. She's only 6 and you're the adult!

I’ve never ever known a 6 year old need an iPad for school work. She doesn’t need one at all. For me that’s more of an issue than a kid wanting to message her mum.

Can you take the iPad off her at night/ when you’re not around? 6 is way way too young to have an iPad to herself IMO, she should only be borrowing yours (or a ‘family’ one) under supervision.

And I'm guessing that in fact many people either have or have had a 6 year old (and all other ages of child) that are demanding of their attention.

If you feel you do not have a moment to breathe w/o your child needing something from you then you need to look beyond just turning the messaging function off on the iPad.

I expect many of us know what having a 6 year old is like.

If you don’t want her to message then take it off her after 30 minutes. Or reply saying on my way to get the iPad. Or use it as a learning exercise for her, for example tell her when she has finished send you a message telling you what she had for lunch or what she played at lunchtime or did in games, make it support her learning.

Yeah but you can just say No? You are the parent? You just say no DD, I am not replying to all these messages? And take the ipad away

The best tech control in my experience, are physical ones. As in she only has it when she is allowed to use it. Children/teenagers are better at this stuff than us and can get round most things with enough effort.

Agree - you have to physically remove the tech, there are no digital solutions that substitute.