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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:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 20/05/2020 07:35

Loads. I'm not imposing limits at the moment until he's back at school. I'd say around 6 hours a day with breaks in between.

Morgan12 · 20/05/2020 07:37

About 7,658 hours.

Godzillasonice · 20/05/2020 07:39

Far too much. They are on their laptops from 9-3 and then playing games and watching tv for god knows how long while I work from home.

Shannaratiger · 20/05/2020 07:40

All day. Do go out for a walk though.

Phifedean123 · 20/05/2020 07:41

2 year old probably watching about 3-4 hours not ideal but he does other stuff too, goes for a walk once a day and plays in the garden too

HasaDigaEebowai · 20/05/2020 07:48

I've just had a chat with my youngest (13) about it. Its hard when they're in online school all day from 8.40 - 4.00 since that alone is too much screen time IMO but then they would obviously then like to play PS4 or watch TV too after school.

We have a new rule where we are back to normal (pre lockdown) rules i.e no PS4 on school nights but we do watch TV as a family after dinner and they go on their phones after school. The nicer weather has meant that lots of table tennis tournaments have been possible so that's been helpful.

DS2 has agreed to do more exercise (we are very lucky in that we have a gym at home but its not being used as much as it should be), play quick games like bananagrams, play pool, practise cricket shots, train the dog, play cards etc. Whether he does any of those things is a different matter..

DS1 is still in bed. He's year 10 (15) and so he's glued to his screen 24/7 either in online school or revising for exams right after half term.

VicesReturning · 20/05/2020 07:48

Somewhere between 2 and 8 hours a day (usually the latter!) :(

ragged · 20/05/2020 07:56

12yo DS has at least 8 hrs/day and the older DC more.
Up to 2 hrs of that is 'online learning'.

We tend to go out & exercise for ~2 hrs/day, plus DS does jobs & gardening. Squabbling with sibling coincides with screen time.

hazelnutlatte · 20/05/2020 07:57

I worry about my 4 year old's screen time, she has got a bit obsessed with playing on the ipad, and most of the work the school wants her to do is on the ipad too so she does her work (oak academy lessons with me, nessy phonics stuff) then as a reward she gets to play on the ipad! I really try to limit it and convince her to play with her sister but it always leads to chaos and I'm working from home, and I just have to let her get on with it sometimes. My 8 year old isn't really interested in games much so she will do you tube dance classes etc but otherwise doesn't get much screen time. Which is lucky really as we only have one iPad!

SallyWD · 20/05/2020 07:59

Loads! I'm ashamed to say most of the day. DS is addicted to his nintendo and DD could happily watch TV all day. I get them out for fresh air and exercise each day and encourage them to do other stuff but they still spend many hours on their screens.

GreyishDays · 20/05/2020 07:59

We just massively cut down. New routine is

Tv from 7-9 (no YouTube as it makes youngest hyper)
Tv from 3.30
Games 4.30 to dinner at 6.15 - usually played with friends

I’m not counting school work

Aliceinwanderland · 20/05/2020 08:01

Watching tv constantly on their laptop/ipads/phones. They both have them on even when doing school work as they multiscreen. It's not good but not sure how to stop it. Am considering turning Wi-Fi off at the weekends.

ITonyah · 20/05/2020 08:02

They are at full time online school and when they stop at 4 they have no desire to pick up a screen at all. They do watch a bit of tv. Don't game. Do look at tiktok for a bit.

ITonyah · 20/05/2020 08:03

Watching tv constantly on their laptop/ipads/phones. They both have them on even when doing school work as they multiscreen

Dds school has expressly forbidden this and so do I.

Rebelwithallthecause · 20/05/2020 08:03

Loads. Good weather days have been better but even now he’s starting to want to sit out there on the iPad instead of running around

Acdmm41 · 20/05/2020 08:03

At the moment about 4-5 hours school work (for DS, DD more paper based) then potentially the rest of the day on a combination of Xbox, tv, films, phone, family switch games, FaceTime calls, save meals and when we get out for an hour or so (am working ft from home).

Really can't bring myself to worry about it tbh. At the moment everything, be it work, socialising and lots of entertainment is screen based. Have never seen screen time as bad, as it can be used in many constructive ways, particularly at the moment.

ITonyah · 20/05/2020 08:04

Meant to say one of mine is older so wants to do well and won't do this anyway

hopeishere · 20/05/2020 08:06

Too much. But I'm wfh and needs must. They're both happy. It's only a screen it's not like they are mainlining meth.

avroroad · 20/05/2020 08:08

It's not something I have ever restricted so that hasn't changed during lockdown. They are free to game or watch TV whenever they want.

TravellingSpoon · 20/05/2020 08:10

Loads and it's not something I can bring myself to get too worried about TBH.

If I am.off work we go out for a walk/bikeride and DD does about an hours reading a day, but the rest is all screen time. But then when I am at home I am either in the computer for study or on MN etc.

Aliceinwanderland · 20/05/2020 08:11

ITonyah and how would you or your kids school know if the were doing this? Not sure what you mean by online school but both of mine are remote learning with no face to face but lots of you tube/online research/Sumdog etc so they have to use the internet especially the older one. Their Dad is WFH long hours about 6 days a week and I'm trying to cram a 5 day week into 3.5 days so can't exactly monitor them constantly.

Notcool1984 · 20/05/2020 08:12

Sorry, when I said two hours that didn’t include school work! That would add another hour at least.

ITonyah · 20/05/2020 08:14

ITonyah and how would you or your kids school know if the were doing this? they don't. I'm sure they have done it occasionally but they have live lessons and they are both not natural rebels!

InDubiousBattle · 20/05/2020 08:22

We're still managing 1-2 hours a day most days. Very lucky though, I'm not working and the (very small amount of)work set by school doesn't need to be on screens, the weather has been great too. Also mine are little, 4 and 6 so we don't have any consoles or anything.

Mightymurphy · 20/05/2020 08:24

Loads. A big part of the day but 75% of that is talking to his friends. He’s an only child and we live rurally so hasn’t seen another child since 20 March.