What are your house rules for mobile phones and devices? Tell O2 for a chance to win an iPad Mini NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

We've been asked by O2 to find out about Mumsnetters' house rules for mobile phones and other technology devices.

Here's what O2 say: "We know families are using technology more than ever, with most households now having several devices online at any time, whether it be their phones, their laptop, their games consoles, their tablet, or their smart TV. But we also know that parents are very unsure about the rules they should set around usage. So we?d like to open a discussion about how you set - and follow - digital house rules for your family, to help other parents feel a little more confident about setting their own.?

So, what technology rules do you have for your DCs? Do phones have to be switched off overnight? Perhaps your DCs have a limit on how much time they can spend online on their phone?

Do you use any rules to keep your DCs safe online? Maybe you check their social networks profiles? Or perhaps you have parental controls in place to stop them accessing particular sites? Or maybe you prefer to keep the house rules to a minimum?

Whatever your house rules are, O2 would love to hear about them!

Everyone who comments on the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win an Apple iPad mini with Retina display, 16GB Space, thanks to O2.

Please note comments on this thread might be used by O2 on their website or on their social media channels: please only add a comment if you're happy for your comment to be used.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

PS - O2 also say "We think that technology is amazing, but we also know it can be a little confusing.
Join our Gurus in store to discover how you can make an app or learn how to keep your family safe online.
Our workshops are free and open to everyone. Sign up here, You're all welcome."

My Son is only a baby, but I think it's really important to lay the groundwork now, I'm really strict on TVs & devices. Our rules are as follows:
-No TV in the morning
-No screens at mealtime
-No screens if we're on a day trip
-No children's TV
-No screens if you are watching the baby

Whilst that might seem excessive or extreme I think it's really important to remind yourself that you can live without devices, they're not the most important thing in life! Focusing on what's actually happening in front of you that is what's important!! I also think it's important for your children not to feel like they've never got your 100% attention because you're tapping away at a screen.

Hopefully these rules will last until the baby is older and won't be too interested in playing video games!

You'll learn

Dcs must keep their phones charged and in credit in order to be allowed freedom to go to town alone, and have general freedom of movement away from parents.

No devices at the table, unless it's for a shared purpose, eg researching the answer to the subject under discussion (and not for cheating!)

Screen time restricted by age and activity.

No screens (other than shared family viewing) 2h before lights out.

No screens on schoolday mornings.

Breakfast must be had before any screens are switched on on non-school mornings.

Internet access downstairs only.

All rules more flexible and relaxed from about age 13, but still discussed and supervised.

Our rules were the same as OsMalley's (except for the last), only relaxing the children's TV as they got older, about 4-5. Worked perfectly well for us.

All apps to be pre-approved before downloading (password protected so they can't just "click and buy)

History monitored

Conversations about what thing are not suitable to be looking at online

We dont have rules as such, just a kind of agreed protocol.
I am not super strict on how long they spend on there, but will check content once in a blue moon and confiscate if there are loads of tits on there

We have no rules yet - dd is too little, but I think I need some screen-free time rules for me! I'm setting up bad habits for the future.

lol at Osmalley

you will learn

mumsnetters have SO MANY RULES, it must be exhausting

I don't have children old enough to have any sort of digital devices of their own! (My son is 22 months old!) I can't even look after my own stuff properly so don't share it with my son yet! I put some 'Bubble Guppies' on for him on my laptop before his nap and before bedtime for a bit. That's all the TV he watches, really. But then he climbed up on the bed one day where I placed the laptop in his room and he pulled off the 'space bar' key! Grr lol I use my phone to play him some soothing music to send him off to sleep. But it's always out of his reach.

We don't even have a dinner table (yet) so I can't enforce my rule of no devices at the table. We hardly ever have guests so no rules for that either.

If my husband and I are watching a TV show or film together, I would expect both of us to not touch our phones. Something I find very easy to do! If we're out for a meal together, I don't want to see mobile phones etc then either!

I would love to switch my phone off every night but I set an alarm for in case Husband sleeps through his! I wake up instantly to mine and see him off to work.

When I lived at home, we had a family computer which was in the kitchen! It was placed there as that was quite the central part of downstairs and meant there were always people around keeping an eye on things! We got laptops if we could help pay towards them and as we approached senior school to help with doing homework and coursework at home. (I was one of 12 kids, so there was a lot of turn taking on the desktop computer!) I'm not that old - 22 - but I can remember a time before everyone had computers and mobiles and internet in their homes etc. I can see such a difference between me as a youngun and the kids who are young now who are better at using technology than their parents!

My rules are just for me - and that means turning to airplane mode to use it at night so no signals near my head (use it as an alarm). I do keep other devices on wifi in my bedroom but only to be turned on if I have been awake for ages, because I think the light from screens is detrimental to good sleep habits.

We have an egg timer, and eldest has a set time on technology - when timer goes off he has to come off.

My DSs are 4 and 6. The rule is one hour of screen time a day, which includes phone, DS games, computer and TV but does not include using the recording and camera settings on the DS (call me Ms Inconsistent, but I am happier for them to use those as its not all about little bleepy things running about).

Mine are too small for mobiles (they're 7,6 and 2) and we have one iPad to share.

I have no rules as such just try not to let them be on the iPad too long - so roughly 30 mins a day. But that can be none if they've had a lazy day already but more if they've been at activities all day and need some winding down.

I also check often what it is they're doing - mostly games but occasionally YouTube. I find it staggering how quickly they can stumble on something not appropriate.

Also I find you have a massively better relationship with your DCs if you distract and offer alternative activities to screens rather than having Rules.

DCs know petty rules are for school. If you try and introduce them at home they just spend forever trying to get round them, winging and bargaining. You either give in or fetch up backed into a corner punishing them for bugger all.

This is a really interesting thread as my DD (8) is just getting to the age where rules will be needed. She has a tablet with wifi, not 3g. No mobile yet, but she wants one.

We have:

• no devices at the dinner table. To be honest, this is more for the adults, ie ensuring that DH and I don't let work intrude too much. Also my sister is very annoying with her phone!
• No devices in the loo. DH again. I just think it's grim and he'd stay in there forever with his phone (no, not porn)
• kids only to use internet-enabled devices in family areas - never in bedroom.
• I reserve the right to switch off the wifi, or change the password as I see fit!

DCs know petty rules are for school. If you try and introduce them at home they just spend forever trying to get round them, winging and bargaining. You either give in or fetch up backed into a corner punishing them for bugger all.

Agree. That's why our rules include specific freedoms to use screens without asking permission. They also affect the adults (no screens at the meals), and are flexible, evolving as the children grow older.

Our children are too small for phones. Their parents need reminding to put their phones down though!!
I try to think 'would I get my laptop out in this situation' and if not put my phone down!

No rules for our teen ( the others are to young for phones) but he has good manners and knows not to use during mealtimes/granny talking and social situations were his presence is required

my two elder dc's (5 & 4) share an iPad. they have to ask before they use it and are only allowed to go on for an hr each day. Any arguments about who goes first or complaining that its time to get off and they aren't allowed it the next day.

My phone has a children's mode on it, so I make sure that is on if I let my daughter use my phone. It means that I am not worried she isn't accessing something she shouldn't. I also restrict time with technology as although she will have to get used to it growing up we will do other activities.

We have DS age 6 and DD age 4, they use my ipad but for no more than 1hr a day. It is a priviledge and will be removed if they are misbehaving. DH is another matter- I wish I could get him to use his mobile less for games-drives me potty!! I am concerned about the online future for how to keep the children safe from social media.

Our rules are computers and tablets only used when a grown up is present
No mobiles at meal times or any other devise
Mobiles turned off in family time

My ds1 is 9 years old and has a mobile and a tablet.

He rarely uses his mobile, but he used to text mainly family on it. His dad lives in a different country so that's why I bought it for him in the first place, so they could keep in touch easily.

He loves his tablet more than anything! There are strict rules with it though. Absolutely no using it during the week at all. He can use it on weekends but not past 8pm and not before 8am. And he has to tidy his room and get dressed, eat his breakfast etc before he goes on it.

There are parental controls on it to ensure he doesn't stumble across dodgy sites or apps. He has to ask before downloading any app.

Ds2 is 3 months old and he loves the white noise app I have for my phone and can't sleep without it, but that's the limit of his access to technology!