e-reader enabling 14 year old to read in bed but not access Facebook google etc

[skellyy]

Hello, My 14 son has been busted surfing the web at night using his tablet. V.sleepy in the mornings and we have a ban on private night time surfing. We've come to an agreement that he could get an e-reader for night time-reading only. Great idea except I see that readers also have browsers.
Does anyone have a similar dilemma? Ideally the solution would retain parental control whilst retaining teenage dignity.

What sort of thing does he want to read?

I'd just give him a book or magazine. The light from computers and phones aren't good for going to sleep, so presumably tablets too. But I'm mean and have no idea about a suitable e-reader.

The standard kindle paperwhite has a browser, but it's so appalling, slow, and non functional that it's hardly worth worrying about. Certainly it's not work well with Facebook, and probably browsing mumsnet would be a chore. I'm pretty sure you can disable it in the parental controls, too.

We have a timer on access to the router so the kids can't access the internet after 9pm (mine are a little younger than yours) .

I don't let them have tablets etc in bed but dd has the most basic Kindle there is. It can access the Amazon book shop on line but (I think) nothing else. Its interface for web pages is very clunky anyway and it certainly wouldn't be able to render games.

I'm with Goosey - I have the original Kindle and it appears not to have internet connectivitity (although there is a "beta test" setting which can be switched on which does allow internet access, which is very poor indeed!) Perhaps you could get the same sort of thing second hand?

I have nook Glow. It's great.

Turn the router off? As long as it doesn't have 3g, no internet access.

Or disable the wifi on the tablet and passcode it.

Or get him a library card.

I would love it if ds would pick up a book instead of a lump of plastic but I see his point. It's a funny mixture of self determination and idleness.. It's great to be able to surf, there's that word again, a book list and enjoy the instant choices available. He reads the usual teen fiction aimed at boys but appears unsure about where to go next. He used to love Michael Morpurgo. His stories are too sad for me!
I'm reassured to find that the browser is a bit useless. Facebook at bedtime, not a good idea.
I was hoping to influence not through parental controls but via a crap reader!
Might have to re-evaluate..

Route off would be bliss. Unfortunately we have a techno adult in the house.
Passcode I like, he'll have to swallow the indignity.

I don't understand, why the talk of passwords and turning iff routers plenty if e/readers are just that. Mine has a wi-fi connection but only to download more books, I can't use the internet. If you don't set up the account automatically with a credit card then he won't even be able to download a book without you knowing.

dd has a Kindle and it is set up through my amazon account which i have disabled on her device. She can only read on it.

Is it a kindle fire or an android tablet that he has now? On the kindle fire you can set parental controls which locks the functions apart from reading. On an android you'd have to disconnect it from the internet (though he could still play games).

When you go into the settings page on the router through any computer (so your techie adult could do this :)) you can block items out by device, so at X time block him out, re-open it the next day. No passcode changing needed then.

I don't understand, why the talk of passwords and turning iff routers shock plenty if e/readers are just that. Mine has a wi-fi connection but only to download more books, I can't use the internet

I mentioned it as I thought it would save buying an additional device- turn off the router and he can use his existing tablet as an e-reader without being able to surf the internet.

I don't have the spare cash to buy yet more gadgets when I have one which will do the job with a small adjustment like a password.

Which make do you have that hasn't got internet DrinkFeckArseGirls? Sounds like the one for me.
He has a kindle fire. If he can be persuaded to hand over control in a kind and generous fashion that might work. He is 14 going 25.
Just had a lightbulb moment. What I really want to do is negotiate a new deal with a new gadget where we parents have control. Is this an oxymoron? I am a cowardy custard willing to shell out money instead of confronting crosspatch teen

Nook Glowlight by Barnes and Noble. It only connects via wi-fi to their book store but you can't go anywhere else.

Thank you all for your sage advice.
We have a negotiated settlement.
ds agrees not to take tablet into bedroom. In return we get a kindle Paperlight with browser disabled which he can use for bedtime reading.
Access to bookstore will be open for starters, see how it goes.
It will be the peoples kindle, password protected and only parents will hold the key.
What could possibly go wrong?