AIBU to ask for a ban on DS playing late evening

[comfortablynumb]

My children have just returned home from a weekend with their dad. DD (4) was half asleep as she walked through the door. DS (6) was wide awake and buzzing. Normally he's in bed by half six and asleep by 7 at the weekend. I've just found out that he had spent the hour long journey playing DS in the back of the car. This bothers me on 2 levels - one, it's too stimulating for him so near to bed time and two, surely it can't be good for his eyesight in the back of a dark car. Am I being unreasonable?

What would you have liked him to do for the journey?

When I drive him over to his Dad's on Fridays we listen to music or audiobooks. Sometimes we throw caution to the wind, step back in time and talk.

Not sure what the alternative is though. Without the DS your 6y may well ahve dozed off, and would not definitely not be ready for bed still - for another reason. I wouldn't have though an hour on a DS in the car would cause too many problems personally.

I think you will need to come up with alternative "acceptable" activities for the car if you think the DS wrong.

TBH 6:30-7am is very early for a 6y bedtime anyway, so don't think one later night should prove too horrid.

DD has a DS, and it is her 'travel toy' - which means reserved for longish car and all airplane travel. Means I can concentrate on driving/traffic, and she is engaged. She doesn't play with it at home.

So, car journey ds playing wouldn't bother me. Would bother me much more if your child had spent hours on the ds while with his father at home.....

got to agree that 6.30 seems like a very early bed time. dd is 18 months and doesnt go to bed untill 7pm and ds 2 1/2 goes at 7.30

maybe you could have an arrangement on a sunday evening that you and ds spend an hour together upon his return doing something quiet like a puzzle or snap.... that will calm him down and give you chance to catch up with him.

My rule is that the DS goes off at least half an hour before bed time but I would make an exception for a car journey.

"Maybe he's buzzing because he's spent an hour sitting in the car and he's excited to be home."

As Mutt suggests, this sounds quite likely IMO.

Luckily my DS is like I was and a horrific passenger, he'd hurl after 2 minutes on a hand held anything!

better he plays ds then falls asleep

agree 6.30 seems very early for a 6yr but some children needs more sleep

sure eyesight will be fine for a one off and tbh if your ds found it hurt his eyes/too hard to see it - sure he would have stopped playing it

They are home safe and sound and sounds like they had a good time. It seems like you are looking for things to complain about.

Dad is allowed to have more relaxed rules.