teenage ds and his beloved mobile phone

[runforthehills65]

Ds is 13 and since the summer has been obsessed with texting friends and contacting them on kik. Every evening he just has to gave his phone in his grasp and seems to concentrate on that rather than home life. He does have hobbies but at home he used to go and do things but now just sits texting. Aibu that this is really winding me up? i don't want him fixed to it. Should i limit it? i have already banned it after bedtime. I am happy for him to use it to arrange things with friends but is it unreasonable to make him stop using it all evening or is this normal?

YABU to be annoyed, don't you know the world will grind to a halt if he isn't in constant contact with his friends??

Most 13 year olds I know are the same! I would make a point that for an hour a night (dinner time maybe?) he has to hand it over also while he does homework because it's distracting.

I found it dies down after a bit. Dd doesn't go on it half as much now.
I just have her simple boundaries and took it off her if she couldn't stick to them.

She has to hand it over an hour before bedtime or I find she can't sleep.

I would check in with him that all is ok, no issues with other kids that he's scared of missing out on. I would be setting clear boundaries for all family. No phone after a certain tine before bed, not at the table, at family outings etc. You would be instilling some good manners there before he gets older.

You will need to show good behaviour too..so no mumsnetting at meal times