Now let me prefix this by saying this isn't a thread to slate me for the fact I let my child watch YouTube or play Roblox/Minecraft etc. I won't explain myself but there were/are reasons, but as of Monday this week when the social media ban was announced, I took the opportunity to remove it. YouTube has gone completely and he is aware it is now illegal (he does not know the ban hasn't yet come into force). Gaming has been removed and is allowed for a short while at the weekend only. This is how it went:
Monday: After school I explained about the ban, why it was an important step to protect the mental health and childhoods of children and that it was OK to be upset by it etc. He wasn't impressed but said he understood. He was a bit grumpy but OK.
Tuesday: Grumpy in the morning as didn't get his mindless YouTube fix. I work nights on a Tuesday so we followed our usual after school routine before my dad came to sleep over and he was allowed to watch normal TV or Netflix. He was grumpy, asked for YouTube etc but was mostly OK.
Wednesday: Was dressed and ready for school early and wanted to play outside before we left. He would normally be asked multiple times to be ready before I had to turn the TV off, causing an argument.
Straight home from school and got out a notebook. He sat and practiced his hand writing, did some drawings and then came out into the garden to help me. At 5pm he goes to his sports training and he absolutely nailed a skill he hasn't been able to do before. This led to him winning his first ever race and then coming second. He was buzzing! We got home and he had a shower and got straight into bed without argument!
Thursday: I woke up and found him making breakfast and drawing. Off to school no bother.
After school he wanted to go to the park to play football (not his sport normally) We took the ball and we played for a good hour and a half. We then came home and had a chippy tea, shower and bed without argument.
Friday: Ready for school early and outside playing.
After school we did a lot of gardening as we have just taken on an allotment and have a lot of seedlings etc we are sorting as well as our own flower garden and veg patch. He washed the car, planted up some planters with me, played with the hosepipe and then wanted to help cook dinner. We cooked together and then he asked for his hot wheels cars. He hasn't played with these since before Christmas. I almost had a tear in my eye watching him play like the small boy he is. Shower and bed with no drama.
Saturday: He came out into the garden first thing and picked some berries and peas, watered the seedlings, then we went over to the new allotment to case out the land, played on the park, ran a few errands, came home and played hot wheels for an hour, then we went swimming, he did some drawing, helped cook dinner, wanted to play a role play game, more hot wheels, watered the garden, shower and bed.
I am honestly gobsmacked at how much he has changed in a matter of days. He wants to draw, write, play, help me, chat and we haven't had any cross words all week. Bedtime has become easier and I almost always had to raise my voice at some point but he happily goes up when told now. He has not asked to game once.
The only downsides are my house is a tip! Currently 9 separate piles of hot wheels cars that we spent the afternoon sorting. A bike ramp is in my living room (for the monster trucks) and the kitchen was trashed from him helping make dinner. He isn't sleeping great and has come into my bed a couple of times this week. It is taking him a long time to fall asleep which isn't like him normally and I am hoping its his brain rewiring.
I feel terrible that I allowed what I did but I am extremely impressed by how quickly he has turned back into a normal child and I hope I have knocked it on the head early enough that it wont have any adverse effects on him going forward.