What are your children doing this evening?

[Spidermama]

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?

Dd is still at school in dance class

Ds is at his grandparents.

They both went to gymnastics. Now DD (11) has gone to a sleepover and DS (9) is in the middle of trombone practice.

Currently arguing with her grand dad.

Granddad: 'Its time for bed soon'

Dd: (haughty voice) 'Dd says no'

She's two

13y has spent most of the evening on Facetime with a school friend, completing a History project together, via Google Docs.

She's now sat on the sofa watching Friends, waiting for dinner.

We went out for dinner. Now they're watching a scooby doo DVD. Then I will put them to bed and wait for DH to come home.

DD (10) is watching the Simpsons while sitting on the floor playing with her dolls house. I'm lying on the sofa in the same room. DP and DSS1 are somewhere talking (they have loud voices).

mine are all over the place on a Friday, we're all knackered & it isn't usually so bad but 3 of the 4 are on screens

dd1 - has been in on her own doing homework, now watching Grimm on her netbook
ds1 - been swimming, now helping dh make dinner & watching Wallace & Grommit on his kindle
dd2 - is out at a youth group, I need to leave to pick her up in 5 minutes
ds2 - also went swimming, has just finished scrambled eggs for tea & is sitting on my lap while I type this & he watches Topsy & Tim on iplayer (dh will put him to bed while I pick up dd2)