Is this fair?

[MamaMoose1]

Hi,
My 10 year old son (11 in three months), has a mobile phone, which we brought him for Christmas to use when he walks home from school and when he starts secondary school, had started using his phone a fair bit, we don't mind him looking at the odd YouTube videos here and there and using it for gaming which he is given as a set time for, but it seems when he is bored, he will go straight to it. I have told him if he can't self-regulate his use on it, then we will, is this fair? He says his friends are allowed to play on their games etc whenever they want and I'm being unfair? Am I being to strict, not to allow him to be glued to his phone a lot of the time.

Thanks in advance for any advice/replies.

I wouldn't let my 10, 12 or 14 yo be glued to their phone.
I don't even like my 17 yo being glued to hers though I have given up on her.

We didn't enable internet on DD1's phone until after GCSEs. DD2, 12 also does not have internet access on her phone. You have no visibility or control on what they are accessing.

We regulate our 12 year old, soon to be13 ds

It's hard though and he's allowed it in school so we know he's on it at lunch, break times and on the bus

Dd has a an app called Norton family loaded on her phone which limits not only the amount of time she can use her phone per day, but also, the times of day when she can use it. It stops all arguments as it isn't up telling her to stop as her phone simply blocks all apps! She's 12 and user the same argument that "everyone else" gets to use their phones whenever they want. It simply isn't true. I know because I've spoken with many of the other parents about it.

That sounds good Littlefish.

Ignore what he says other parents do. I think it is necessary to impose limits and restrictions; especially as a ten yr old is quite likely going to find it difficult to control himself.

The thing that has worked for us is looking at advice and coming to a mutual agreement, so no phone after school until hwk is done, obviously none during dinner and phones turned off half an hour before bed and kept downstairs. This works out at 45 mins per school day and we allow two hours per day at weekends but not consecutively. It's a pain to monitor frankly but you have to keep on top of it. Mine get their phones confiscated if the break the rules.

Also, make sure you are on top of all the parental controls. Good luck.

I am going to investigate that app Little fish!

It's an android app. I've put it on her Ipod too, but not all the functions work. I think it costs £30 per year and you can have several children's devices on it at the same time.