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Original poster

How much screen time are your kids having in lockdown?

65 replies

RoseGoldCloud · 19/05/2020 23:19

Feel like DC are watching too much TV and online games so going to set some new limits but I’m not sure what is reasonable during lockdown. We are both still working here so unfortunately the DC do need to entertain themselves a lot and DC1 is playing some multiplayer games with his friends which I think is reasonable as he can’t socialise any other way at the moment. How much screen time are you allowing during lockdown?

OP posts:
Notcool1984 · 19/05/2020 23:21

Too much! Two hours a day I’d say

Ginandbitterlemonplease · 19/05/2020 23:22

Too much.

ineedaholidaynow · 19/05/2020 23:23

A huge amount of you include school working too!

FTstepmum · 19/05/2020 23:24

Far too much - including Minecraft, Portal, Bitesize, TV and Purplemash about 3 to 4 hours a day.

Stickyjack · 19/05/2020 23:25

Most of the fucking day. It's driving me bananas but it helps keep the youngest occupied whilst I work from home and the eldest does school work. Without it nothing would be possible, so we're going with it.

pfrench · 19/05/2020 23:27

Shit loads. We're both working, some days she watches TV or plays on an ipad all day. Some of it is learning, but not much of it. We try to get her out for a walk, and to do disguised bits of learning, but mostly nope.

ILiveInSalemsLot · 19/05/2020 23:28

Well they’re staring at laptops for hours for all their schoolwork. They’ll watch tv daily too and play games 4 or 5 evenings a week for up to 2 hours.
I don’t mind them watching tv as it’s usually something decent.
Altogether, it’s a lot. I just make sure they exercise and go in the garden or do something creative too.

Aramox · 19/05/2020 23:30

14 y o is on all day, 3-4 hours schoolwork and netflix /Fortnite the rest of the time. Even when doing something else. It’s a disaster but keeps him socially connected.

mangocoveredlamb · 19/05/2020 23:31

Did someone seriously come onto a thread about screen time with two working parents and say 2 hours is too much?
I would be absolutely thrilled if we could limit screen time to 2hrs.
I think more like 5/6 here. Utterly gutted about it, but we’re both wfh full time and it’s the only thing that will keep them quiet while we try to do all the things that need doing.

TokyoSushi · 19/05/2020 23:32

Loads. Literally the only bonuses are that it let's me get some work done, and they're still very connected to their friends.

mummyof4darlingz · 19/05/2020 23:34

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BrandyandBabycham · 19/05/2020 23:35

Too much! Having said that, we did manage a family meeting & DD11 actually suggested having an hour a day on her phone. Before was just getting silly. She’s regretting it now though! She has 1 & a half hours on the laptop too. Actually watching less tv during lockdown than usual. She was doing the same length of time on the laptop for homework but over the last few days has stopped this & claims to be doing it on paper ( we’re waiting foe evidence of this!)

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 19/05/2020 23:37

Loads - either schoolwork, or she and her friends are playing Adopt Me and Roblox whilst chatting on Houseparty. Then all the music, drama and dance classes are on zoom. So at least 8-10 hours a day.

Not really very worried - I wouldn't be concerned if they were sitting playing boardgames and it's basically the same thing. She's an only and DH and I are both working full-time.

MerryGoRoundBrain · 19/05/2020 23:37

Too much! I’m WFH just now (FT), DP works long shifts. School work requires staring at the iPad, then theres Bitesize, Sumdog and other crap. Then there’s bloody Nintendo that is used as a babysitter during some of my conference calls. We go out for a walk every day and I encourage things like Lego but DS wants me to play with him.. and I’m working.

MrsPworkingmummy · 19/05/2020 23:38

Gosh, my 8 year old spends way more time in front of a screen than what other posters have said. We do homeschool between 9 and 12, whilst I work, then we have lunch until about 1. After that, she video calls her friends, playing Roblox with them simultaneously. Their calls last hours. We need to work, it means she doesn't bother her little brother so we leave her to it. She has a break when we eat our family dinner, when we go out for our daily walk (we're usually out about an hour to an hour and a half) and when she has a shower. I take my phone off her about 8.30, when we'll watch some TV together then she's in bed by 9. If we include TVs, then at the moment, she's probably I'm front of a screen for about 7 hours a day!!!! The routine works for us and we're doing what we can to get by and balance all of the demands being made of us.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 19/05/2020 23:51

They're rarely off them!

Sometimes I move them off their "leisure screens" onto their "school screens"

Sometimes I shuffle them between screens: "Here DS, stop with the Reading Eggs right now, DD needs the laptop for a Zoom meeting... yes of course you can play Age of Empire on the PC..volume off though!"

Then we round off the day with Disney Plus!

I can't bring myself to feel bad about it. We're locked in the house. It's to be expected.

Ilovesausages · 20/05/2020 00:00

Way too much.

We are both juggling working in the day and trying to home school and also The kind of exhaustion and feeling of overwhelm that comes with all of that.

I just keep reminding myself that this is not normal life and it will pass and we will find more balance again.

CoronaIsComing · 20/05/2020 00:12

Too much! He’s doing his work from 9-3 when screens are only allowed for school work purposes but that’s still quite a lot. Then as soon as 3pm hits, he’s onto minecraft and what’s app video call with his friends, stopping only for tea and if we go on a walk. Then at 8pm, he gets in bed and writes his diary and listens to a Harry Potter audio book.

It’s a disaster, he’s spending hours and hours on minecraft, but he’s an only child so has no children to play with in real life. His friends (same family) are allowed on minecraft as soon as they’ve finished work for the day so are calling him from lunchtime. I’m just glad he’s still socialising in some way though I suppose!

Grobagsforever · 20/05/2020 07:09

It was loads to start with but actually they've got a bit bored of it now and the weather helps a lot. Probably 1 hour before lunch, then 2-3 hours after 3pm. Which is still loads by normal standards but not a lot considering I am working full time (lone parent) and so they are entertaining themselves all day, ages 5 and 9.

Squeekybummum · 20/05/2020 07:15

Yeah far too much, I really don't like it. But it's keeping them in touch with their friends aswel which I think is so important at the minute.
I try and keep them off it till as close to 3pm as I can. But obviously some of there school work is also done online so that's a small time on them in the mornings also.

Toomanycats99 · 20/05/2020 07:18

Hours and hours however like app said she is often on roblox and FaceTiming friends at the same time as they play together so there is at least a social aspect to it.

Knocksomesense · 20/05/2020 07:21

Mine are only 2 and 3 but they've had so much screen time they are starting to get bored of it!! Some days they are watching a couple of hours, sometimes much of the day. I really think we can't be worrying about it

YouJustDoYou · 20/05/2020 07:23

About an hour.

CurlyEndive · 20/05/2020 07:30

As long as they're doing their school work, keeping active as best they can, and are off screens at mealtimes and after 9pm, I am not imposing any further rules. As others have said, most of their schooling is online and they're also using it to socialise with their friends, so it's not all 'bad' screen time.

Qasd · 20/05/2020 07:34

Too much and a lot more than two hours a day😂!

Umm four or five on a weekday more at a weekend? I say no to anything between nine and three on a week day but that still leaves a lot of time in between!