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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

What are your children doing this evening?

32 replies

Spidermama · 08/09/2015 20:03

When I was a kid I watched telly with the rest of the family most evenings. My family never does that. DD(17) and DS(13) are in the kitchen on their individual phones. DS(15) is out at a friends and DS(10) has been on the Playstation for hours.

I don't like this situation but I don't really know what to do about it. I'm upstairs on the computer, because DS has control of the TV and none of us can ever settle on anything we can all watch together.

It feels so disparate and insular. Is this normal?

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OublietteBravo · 08/09/2015 20:12

DS (9) is doing trombone practice and DD (11) is watching something on her tablet. Meanwhile DH is doing some work and I'm on MN in front of my lovely wood burner.

mrspremise · 08/09/2015 20:13

DS1 (10) got on his laptop to play Terraria the actual second we got home from school. D2 (8) came home and got his hamster out and bugged me with a constant running commentary of his activities for what felt like 3 hours...

PosterEh · 08/09/2015 20:14

Mine are asleep (thank fuck) but they are only 3 and 1.

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Savagebeauty · 08/09/2015 20:15

Dd (18)has got 20 friends round and they're drinking Pimms.
DS has gone out to work ( 16)
Usually we all watch Emnerdale and Corrie then go on devices. We listen to music..they go out a lot too.

nilbyname · 08/09/2015 20:16

We had supper round the table, played, then read stories together and bed. 6 and 4 here, and we have a no screens Mon-Thursday and then quite limited on a Friday- a film, and then maybe something on at the weekend or DS might play minecraft.

NewLife4Me · 08/09/2015 20:17

Mine is about to go to registration, I'm hoping she is going to skype me before bed.
Missing her like mad

Roseformeplease · 08/09/2015 20:18

DS has a part time job and is out waiting tables in a local pub. DD has just come back from band practice / fiddle lesson and is upstairs doing her homework. DH is channel hopping.

BathshebaDarkstone · 08/09/2015 20:18

DS 4 watched a DVD while they were having supper, DD very nearly 8 watched one after his was finished, they're both in bed now.

BertieBotts · 08/09/2015 20:19

I think that is pretty normal these days. My brother is 13 and surgically attached to his iphone.

DS is only 6 so he is in bed but DH and I are on separate computers doing our own thing.

If it bothers you why don't you go and ask one of them if they'll do something with you?

stitchglitched · 08/09/2015 20:20

DS (7) and DD (9 months) currently bopping along to character show on holiday. At home DS constantly wants computer games so making a lovely change.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 08/09/2015 20:23

DD had Cubs, so DS and me dropped her off and then went to my parents, walked the dogs and he went for a swim while we waited to pick her up. They are now both on tablets and about to go to bed.

OldBeanbagz · 08/09/2015 20:29

DD (13) and DS (10) have been catching up on their homework and music practice.

Tonight was the first meal we've had as a family for a week due to DH working away and DS being out at a club yesterday so we were making the most of family time.

No gadgets during the week here and no TV tonight either.

Ragwort · 08/09/2015 20:29

I hate being 'shut out' of my own living room - currently DH and DS are watching the football - I am upstairs as we have a study with home computer.

I feel your pain but there is so little that we would all enjoy watching on tv together that invariably one or two of us are in different rooms. And we do have a second tv but it doesn't have sky which is what everyone seems to watch. I don't know what the answer is, it seems that is 'modern life' these days - even when people are sitting together they all seem to have their individual devices. . The one thing we do all do together is play cards.

I usually have a bath and go to bed early with a book on the evenings I am home with the rest of the family or mumsnet.

NewLife4Me · 08/09/2015 20:30

Call a family meeting and make one night a week family night.
i do agree with you, sometimes it can feel like you are all individuals living together and no family connection.
maybe all watch a film, or games night, listen to some music or just chat.
It does seem the norm these days, for everyone to be on separate devices.

RachelZoe · 08/09/2015 20:36

DS1 Hasn't gone back to uni yet and he's out with DH for dinner, DS2/3and 4 are boarders so I have no idea what they're doing, 5 and 6 are out in the garden kicking a ball around (it's lit, they aren't in the dark).

Sounds like you need to make some compromises with your ds and the tv, he can't monopolize it like that, it isn't fair on the rest of you.

ffffffedup · 08/09/2015 20:49

Ds1 and 2 have been at football training with dh ds3 went to bed at 6 45 I enjoyed a wine in peace

knittingbee · 10/09/2015 21:42

Mine are little (4 and 1) but we always eat together. I used to watch TV with my folks too but I'm not sure we communicated any better for it...

dementedma · 10/09/2015 21:47

DDS have been at ABs class. Ds on his xbox.

TheWoodenSpoonOfMischief · 10/09/2015 21:49

Sadly, I think it's becoming the norm.
At the moment, I have control over screen time as my kids are under 10 but it's probably not possible at 17.

I'll try to always aim that we eat together and watch something together every now and then. Family night sounds like a good idea.

IHaveBrilloHair · 10/09/2015 21:50

In her room on her phone /tablet.
I've given up objecting, it just causes conflict, I pop in and out and we chat.

G1veMeStrength · 10/09/2015 21:53

We get together for food more often than anything else. Maybe once a week is a film but prob 4-5 times a week for food. Though it is hard with jobs and clubs and school and so on.

Whathaveilost · 10/09/2015 21:55

Ds1 and2 ( 19 and 16 ) are at ice hockey training with their dad.

southeastastra · 10/09/2015 22:00

we all do this but then i booked a week on a greek island where we all had to share a room.

i would recommend doing this. the apartment we stayed at was big enough for us all . it was fab to all wake up together. do that

Original poster

Spidermama · 11/09/2015 15:49

Southeastastra I enjoyed our Eurocamp holiday in the summer where we were all in a big static-type thing with limited wifi. We played poker and I almost got them to agree to learn Bridge. Next year.

I'm impressed at parents on this thread who manage to control screens and gadgets. That genie's long out of the bottle in this house sadly.

OP posts:

G1veMeStrength · 11/09/2015 17:20

The thing with the gadget control, its just so sort of continual isn't it. Like sweeping floodwater off a path.

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