Kids and bloody phones ggrrrr

[DianneWhatcock]

DC (13, 10, 5) have totally ignored me all evening. just sat on their phones / devices on a separate floor to me. (5 yo hasn't got a phone she's got a tablet) while I sit watching telly like Billy no mates. I’ve asked if they want to watch a film / telly with me. Nope. Talk to them and just get grunts in return.

Sometimes I feel like they only want to know me when I’ve got something to offer ...as they seemed fairly keen to spend time with me when I took them out for a harvester earlier 😤

I sometimes wish it wasn’t a thing for kids to have phones ...once they get one i basically feel you lose them to it.

fucking you tube, tik tok and whatever other shit they go on can fuck right off

It doesn’t have to be a ‘thing’.

Especially if they are 10 and 5!

The 5 yo has a tablet not a phone.

Might go and unplug the router 😂

I pre warn mine that its gadget free evening etc. We regularly have time out they don't get to decide they get told

Seriously? Why don’t you parent your children? You gave them the tech. Why? What did you think was going to happen.

How old are they @cheninblanc ?

It’s only a thing if you let them have it. You’re the parent. A 5 yo definitely shouldn’t be attached to a tablet all evening and I think 10 is Too young to have a phone. 13 possibly but I wouldn’t expect it to be a habitual thing at that age. What are they doing on them? What’s so fascinating? Please don’t tell me they are online too?

I thought you were going to say teenagers (and honestly, at that age, if you can’t beat them, join them ).. But I regret giving my youngest tech as young as I did (hard when they have older sibs though). To be fair, they’re at the end of a long tiring term, so they could be forgiven needing a day or two to veg before the busyness of Christmas. Plenty of time for a digital detox in the new year.

Oh I’ve just read the update properly. You’re letting your pre teen kids sit on the Internet all evening? Sorry but that’s just shit parenting and I’m really not that judgmental when it comes to most parenting things!

Oh the irony of moaning about people using devices whilst using a device yourself.

Oh to be that perfect parent !

Cross post JonSlow...

So easy to throw judgement out there when someone is asking for advice.

You have just left your 5yo in another room on a tablet?

And you’re only questioning that because you don’t want to watch TV on your own?

Hey kids! Put the screens down, come stare at a screen with me!

You’re taking the piss to call that “kids and bloody phones”.

Would it be possible to try and impose some sort of restrictions, phones and tablets in a box for a couple of hours so you can all spend time together. I think the key would be that parents would also have to be gadget free. Good luck, sorry you feel a bit lonely tonight ❤️

The advice is stop letting them have so much tech time because it’s fucking unhealthy and the op is the parent and should put her foot down. Especially unsupervised. Jesus Christ they could be up to anything on there..would the op have a clue? A 5 year old should not be left unsupervised on the internet. I’m honestly not judgmental and most often can’t believe the pearl clutching on here, but come on.

Oh judge away all you perfect parents 😴

The 5 year old isn't online she is on her tablet playing games / watching cartoons

The older ones are on what's app to their mates and watching you tube. 13 yo even has Facebook and Instagram, quick, Someone call social services 😱

I have no one in my friendship groups who's similar age kids don't do the same but clearly we are all shit mums 😆 half of people reading will have dc doing same as well

Put parental controls on so that they can only be on for a set time each day and turn off by whatever time you think right until the morning.

It's so much easier if there's no daily negotiation.

What about avoiding screens all together. Watching tv with you might not be interesting to them all at that wide age range. But finding some games to play together. Dobble is a good one that young can play basically but older ones often get into..

I think 10 is Too young to have a phone. 13 possibly

Yes, ten is quite young...but you're living in cloud cuckoo land if you are dithering over a 13 year old having a phone. My ds is 11, nearly 12, just started secondary school. Every single one of his friends has a phone.

Agreed that this is a problem of your making. Parental controls are easy to install and you can limit the times your children are on their devices and even the length of time per type of app.

Yeah I'm definitely a shit mum. We spent the early evening with friends and their children, then came Home for tea and showers. They then spent an hour or so in their phones while I wrapped Christmas presents and listened to loud music. What's so wrong 🤷‍♀️

@Legomanships

Thank you for understanding 💕

I'm sad because clearly they'd rather be on devices than actually interact with me. Yes I could take them off them but that would mean them spending time with me under duress.

Usually in the evenings I don't go on my phone / online. I watch films / tv / read. However as I'm on my own and lonely as fuck I've come on here for a bit of support but clearly I'm in the wrong place.

Yes, secondary aged children need a phone, but it doesn't need to be a smart phone.

@haba

Other kids would massively take the piss if someone had a non smart phones at High school 😳

non smart phone*