How much iPad time is appropriate for a 6/7 year old?

[gfrs]

I allow ds 30 mins on his iPad while I cook his tea in the week when he gets home at 5.30 from after school clubs ( swimming/football.)

He then can watch tv whilst eating his tea sometimes ( he's an only child )

Other times he has tea with us or I sit with him but don't eat if we eat later.

Over the weekend he prob has 2 hours of iPad and 2 hours of tv over both days ( mainly early morning tv so we can have a little bit of a lie in) or early evening, other than that we go out for the day or play board games and he has football club and goes to the park

He has to earn all this time by doing chores and good behaviour

Do you think it's too much? I can't seem to find any guidelines anywhere but his favourite thing is the iPad and I worry he is beginning addicted

If I say no he whinges a bit but will then amuse himself building tracks or marble runs or Lego

No not too much sounds like a nice amount.
Mine play on their iPads /switch a lot more but we go out a lot at weekends there at school all week do swimming football and performing arts so if they want to go on for a few hours sometimes more I don't mind. It's their way of relaxing.

That is a lot of screen time.

Why does he need that much?

*That is a lot of screen time.

Why does he need that much?*
Really??? By the time you have sat down and started whatever activity on the iPad 30 mins have gone.

That is not a lot OP

Sounds about right. About the same as mine

@Autumntoowet

Combined with the screen time that is a lot.

By the OPs numbers the child is getting 13 hours of screen time a week at the age of six.

My worry would be escalation. They all want more as they get older. I asked my form about their screen time last year and some of them were on 5 hours a day!

I’m sure they all started on an hour a day of screen time.

OP- when does he play with his toys?

DCs' optician said 1 hour max per day. Ours(6/9) get about 30 mins on school days max (on busy days, nothing) and make up for it on the weekends.

He also watches tv whilst eating his breakfast so that's 20-30 mins . I'm in the shower then so I feel mean asking him to sit at the table on his own. We get up at 7.30 and leave for school at 8.30 so in that time he gets himself dressed maybe plays for a little bit whilst I make breakfast for him and then eats his toast in front of the tv whilst I shower

Added up it's probably 4 hours on the weekend ( 2 hours tv and 2 hours iPad game s) and 1.5 hours per day ( tv for an hour. 20-30 mins at breakfast and tea and 30 mins games) so 11.5 hours a week

That does seem a lot and I am worried about it escalating

I also have a bit of guilt because he is on his own at meal times some days and I suppose I use the tv as a babysitter whilst I get ready

He does play with me and his toys on weekends and obviously is at school and clubs with his friends until 5.30 in the week. We have a chat on the way home and at bath and bed time and I read a book with him every night

Can you try to eat with him? Or have a coffee when he's eating?

I would cut out the tv at meals. There's no reason for it. Sit him at the table for 10 minutes and talk with him.

But to answer your question, my nearly 7 year old only watches her tablet on the weekends (it's a treat in the mornings while we all wake up and get going). She watches tv for about an hour or so on weeknight evenings before dinner (most nights but not necessarily every night). I don't really limit it on the weekends, but she might watch a couple hours total during the day, usually when it's raining or I'm trying to sort the hour out or pack up for the day.

Why not let him watch tv while you get ready though and then sit and have a meal? You just need to move around the times you are getting ready, or get up a little earlier.

I wouldn't allow any TV before school or with meals. I think you need to plan your meals so that you eat with him.

@user1493494961 what do yours do before school?

I don't normally eat breakfast but I could get up earlier and get showered before 7.30 so I could sit with him at breakfast. I am worried he is associating eating with tv

I like to eat tea with my dh who doesn't get in until later so we eat after ds has gone to bed most nights

We eat as a family on weekends mostly breakfast and tea

What kind of things is he watching on the iPad? What is he watching on tv?

I think there’s too much screen time, and yes I think it’s a danger associating eating with TV, but more than that I find it quite sad that you don’t eat any meals with your son during the week.

Breakfast, you’re in the shower and he has the TV on. Lunch he’s at school. Dinner you’d rather eat with your husband.

The kid is out of the house 8.30-5.30pm every day at 6yo. Talk to him about school, his clubs, what’s going on in your life and the world. Engage with him. Drink water while he eats breakfast. Sacrifice dinner with your husband for dinner with a 6yo only child until he’s old enough to eat with you.

This has made me actually quite sad.

Thanks for your opinion @7salmonswimming but I have to work as do many parents so that's why he is out of the house 8.30-5.30. I make his tea as soon as I get in from work after a chat about his day that's when he has some tv after socialising and playing games and doing activities all day
This is not about whether or not I talk to him

I talk to him on the way to school, I talk to him after his tea at bath time and after we have read a story and before bed. I do not have to sit with him to eat tea to talk to him.

Sometimes when I ask him about his day he says can I tell you later mummy. He likes a bit of chill out time as we all do

We eat all together at weekends

I asked about iPad/screen time.. I'm not sure your comments are very fair or kind