Weekend device time for 8 year old

[pinecone25]

To say devices before dinner on weekends and not in the morning? I realise no one size fits all so I’m not knocking anyone who doesn't limit it but has anyone tried limiting it to later in the day?

We generally don’t have TV on school mornings as it slows everyone down. Sometimes on a Friday when they are tired.

DS8 cannot self regulate and if he watches TV and has a bit of device on a weekend morning, he is grumpy afterwards and not interested in toys/making up his own games. He is NT but has a short attention span indoors and is very active. We have a garden but as soon as he's indoors, he wants a screen.

I’m feeling like if he knew it was a session before tea and that was it, he would find something else to do and enjoy those other things in the day first. He asks for screen a lot and it really affects his mood and ability to self start play.

I have a 9 year old boy and this sounds very similar.

We don’t do tv on school mornings for the same reason.

I think you could try it and see what happens. We are going to start a time limit on weekends eg you can have 2 hours of device time but once it’s gone it’s gone. I’m not sure how this will play out for us as I don’t watch him on his device as we have a playroom for kids I’m often feeding the newborn in another room.

Our problem is that his friends have unlimited device time which he sees as unfair. We manage to sweeten it up by playing a academic games (tt rockstars, wordle which don’t count towards the time)

We try to sit down as a family together to do something instead too on a sat night ( our only free night) like a board game.

I’m also very conscious of putting my phone away through the day too so I’m not on it when I’ve told him to get off it.

I used to do devices in the morning so I could sleep more but then they started waking earlier for devices.
If he's likely to be grumpy when the device time ends then you will be faced with attitude and moaning at the dinner table which doesn't sound like fun either.

What would be the negative, really, of saying no screens at all until evenings?

That seems a pretty easy rule.

No screens midweek here. 45 mins ish on a weekend late afternoon/ generally whilst I’m making dinner. We’re usually out of the house a lot of the weekend but if having a day in they might have a bit more but any extra will be on TT rockstars or something vaguely educational.

No screens on school days until about 6, when each DS (7 and 11) gets about half an hour. Weekends, TV from 7 until we get up plus gaming time half an hour or a bit more each in the evening. Might be more on a wet and windy day.

Just do what suits you. We do tablets/screens after lunch on the weekends usually 1.30-3.30 so we can have a rest or downtime. The kids have never had tablets in the morning so don’t expect it. That’s not to say they are angels and don’t ask for it sometimes!

One hour of screen at the weekend. They choose when they have it and when it’s done it’s done. Has always been the rule so they don’t argue about it. Everyone knows where they stand and it makes it very easy.

I don’t put limits on TV at all, but my DS (7) is pretty good at self regulating. Some days he just wants to flop after school and watch TV, other days he chooses playing, colouring in or (more so in the summer) playing outside. Gaming is not allowed Monday to Thursday, but there are no strict limits Friday to Sunday. He does usually play video games first thing for an hour or two. Then we’re usually out doing stuff so there’s never that much of an opportunity for him to play for hours on end. If I feel he’s been on it for a bit too long, I tell him to turn it off and play a board game or something with me instead and he’s generally pretty compliant, so yeah, we haven’t really felt the need to set limits.

No tv before school here, it's always been this way so no arguments. Older dd didn't really watch tv til about age 4. Now at 8 it does go on straight after she gets in from school, but I do kick her off it for dinner, to do other stuff etc, and she does lots of activities and outdoor time.

She watches first thing on the weekends, and definitely generally watches more than I'd like, like a pp it's her go to at home, I have to encourage reading and playing, but enough happens of each.

Hasn't got too in to other devices as yet, I'm sure that's a losing game at 8 though. For now we just have a family iPad. If she had her own device I'm quite sure she'd be on it as much as she could. Putting it off for as long as I can get away with.

Considering a switch but again it will be a family device and will be put away, won't be put out for general use.

In short, far more telly than I'd like but isn't on line too much yet which I like. Not smug about it though, she will be as soon as she can I've no doubt 🤦‍♀️

Youngest isn't yet 2. Doesn't watch anything specifically but obviously is exposed to dd's programmes a little. He's too active to get drawn in yet.

I think giving them a set time for screen time really helps them regulate themselves.

I'd definitely give him a clear time frame for his screen time and let him foucs his mind on othe things outside of that. If before dinner is the slot that works best for you, do that.

We have a Google family account which lets you set limits - how much time per day (and you can specify certain days) and what time periods. You can also add extra limits for certain apps and exempt other apps from the limits. I would highly recommend.

We tend to do devices on Saturday mornings so DH and I can get on with housework, then DS1 has swimming at lunchtime so it's a set 'off time'. Then after lunch because the house is already tidy we tend to be out for the afternoon. I don't mind TV in the evenings. DS2 falls asleep early and DS1 loves having movie night.

I do find it a bit annoying that half of DS1s homework he needs the laptop for though...because once it's on he wants to use it to play/watch YouTube.

I don't mind DD (8) having a bit of TV before school but it has to be something like CBBC or a decent Netflix kids TV series like Ninjargo. No youtube or squealing american teen shite.

During school hols and on weekend days which haven't got a lot of structure (most sundays) I say she can have a total of 3 hours a day on screens, be they big (TV) or small (her ipad or switch). It's up to her when she has it. She usually decides to break it down into an hour while she's having breakfast, an hour at lunch and an hour after tea, 6 till 7 ish.

It sounds like a lot but this kid is always up at half 6 and on the go till 8ish in the evening. So 3 hours out of 13 ish.