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."

[saintlyjimjams]

Children aged 15 (severely autistic), 12 and 9.

We don't have many rules - partly because using an iPad is one of the few activities ds1 can do. We have a rule that if anyone gets upset online then they have to come straight off. That includes ds1 - he was watching CBeebies opening credits on YouTube yesterday and for some reason (no idea why) the Me Too one was driving him mad - we took the iPad off him.

At bed time screens go off and the younger boys are allowed to read for a bit. I turn them off a bit early so they have a chance to read.

Both ds2 and ds3 use screens to mainly talk to friends/play online with friends (RL friends). I am allowed to check anything they go on at any time (that's the deal) - at some stage ds2 will become more concerned about his privacy - which is why I wanted him learning to navigate social networks while it's appropriate for me to be nosey.

Obviously screens off during mealtimes.

I think my rules might be different if ds1 wasn't as disabled as he is.

As ds2 is getting older he is using screens less for game playing and more for socialising with friends. So minecraft is being replaced by things like snapchat, instagram, facebook.

I wouldn't have allowed a facebook account until next year btw but he did a summer school thing where communication was via Facebook. At first he just used it to keep an eye on what was happening, since returning he uses it (along with snapchat) etc to keep in contact with the friends he made there - who live all over the place/internationally.

[saintlyjimjams]

Oh phones - ds2 didn't start using a phone until he went to secondary school. He moans that it's not very good. His school is quite into social media and encourages kids to use twitter/email/youtube etc. They're allowed phones at school. He does text me quite a bit - he's pretty communicative for a boy ;)

[Sixgeese]

Only my eldest (9) goes on the Internet, his rules are don't download anything without permission (and his Kindle Fire is linked to DH's Email so everything goes through there). While he is allowed his Kindle during the day he isn't allowed it at mealtimes and it is a different room at bedtime (I am not saying that he doesn't try and sneak it from my bedroom - but DH is a very light sleeper so wakes up)

I do try and limit the time on it and at least get him outside doing something else part of the day.

He has just started getting interested in Powerpoint (has done homework projects using Powerpoint) and he wants my Dad, a retired computer consultant/ programmer, to teach him coding.

I hate it when we go out with my Inlaws (and Dnieces) to restaurants as they are allowed their Kindle Fires during meal times so I end uop being the mean Mummy for trying to stop DS.

I am not encouraging My DD's (7 and 5) to go online.

[Bluebees]

No devices at mealtimes.
Parental controls on as (age) appropriate.
No viewing films with certificates for older children/adults.
Both DH and I are on DCs' Facebooks (but had to promise not to comment!).
We do monitor Internet browsing history too but not obsessively.
It all sounds a bit controlling but actually all the above measures were easily established and are not obtrusive.
The other thing we've done is ensure all DCs are informed about staying safe online and cyber bullying etc.
As all DCs are getting older now they have more freedoms and are trusted to make sensible decisions. We do ask that they all take their mobiles with them when going out (that one keeps me happy!).

[Cereal0ffender]

Dd is 10. She has a hudl which she mostly uses for games. She is allowed on my ipad to google stuff if I am in the same room. she mostly googles for fluffy cats but there was a google incident at a friends house so she has been told she is not allowed on the internet at friends houses.
I do worry about what to do when she gets older. I have tried various apps and turning on firewall child proofing but they are either ineffective or too restrictive.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

And you think she takes any notice of what she isn't supposed to do at other people's houses

It's my only problem with not bothering with controls here. DDs are very sensible, but I do wonder what DFs with stricter parents get up to.

I know DD2 used to go on her mates FB as that's the one thing I could see absolutely no reason for.

In fact at 13, DD2 still doesn't want FB, her lot don't use it, the snap chat and instargram.

16y has FB, but only because her hobby use it to organise events.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Also remember 8-11y make massively more sensible decisions than 12-14y.

I'm a 100% certain that DD2 is massively more careful on line because she knew it was a real luxury having a computer if her own at 6, than she would be if she'd had to wait and nag for privileges until 13.

(DD1 just is sensible, she was born sensible)

[lucjam]

No phones or devices at the dinner table and a device amnesty at 9pm otherwise dd (12 years old) will stay up texting friends etc until the we small hours.

[HaremScarem]

I think THIS girls parents wish they had a few more computer rules

[WowOoo]

Both my sons know they won't be allowed to play on the tablet unless chores in the house have been done. They also use an old phone, but it has a pin and I don't allow in-app purchases on it. I'm glad it asks for a password before purchases or apps are downloaded as my son has tried!

My eldest is 8 and will tell me he's put his clothes away, emptied the dishwasher and so now can he have half an hour. I let him play for longer sometimes.

He loves YouTube for Minecraft related stuff and is only allowed to watch it in the living room on the family computer. I'm glad as some inappropriate stuff has come up even though we have parental controls.

[ColouringInQueen]

Ok mine are both under 10 so ours are:

No devices at the table.
We limit time on a screen - phone/tablet/laptop/tv during the week - they can have longer at the weekend.
No social networking at the moment though we are planning to have full access (ie login details) when we get to that stage.
No devices in bedrooms (though not sure how long we can get away with this one!)
No in-app purchasing
No giving out personal information

[Kahlua4me]

We have only one really set rule, No devices at the table.

Dc are 11 and 8 and have access to my iPad and the main home computer which is in the kitchen. It is placed so that I can see it from the sofa or cooker/sink area.

They have to ask if they want a new app for iPad and we have to install as they don't know the password.

Ds, 11, has a mobile and a laptop for his own use. Mobile is very old one that can only text and call so no camera or Internet. Laptop is only used sporadically as he prefers the main computer. His history is emailed to me weekly so i can keep an eye on it, mainly because it is new for him and he is quite young for his age.

We try to encourage them to do other stuff, games, reading etc instead of using devices, as well as playing outside. So far this has worked and they really only use them first thing in the morning and maybe for a short time at weekends.

Luckily, at the moment they would both be doing something with us and would always choose a game or a walk in preference!

[MirandaWest]

My DC are 10 and 8. Older one has an ipad and my old phone although he rarely uses it. DD has my old iPod touch. We don't have many rules as I am useless with rules.

No iPads/iPods in bedrooms overnight.
No electronic items (or in DDs case books :)) at the table unless designated an 'items meal'
In app purchases disabled and need to ask me before downloading any apps (they do know my password but always ask)
Regular discussions about internet things ie safety and knowledge that I do look at their google history (very little on there tbh)

[Cambam2010]

My son, 4, uses my phone and tablet to play games and watch videos on You Tube. The rules are:
*no clicking on links
*show mummy if a message comes up that you do not recognise
*no playing before bed as need time to unwind
*no playing before nursery as he'll never get out of the door

[StoneFoxMama]

Dc' s are 10 & 12
No sitting on a device if we are all watching a film/programme together
Goes without saying no devices at the table
Phones are taken away at lights out otherwise they sneakily play on them
All passwords for fb & instagram are known by us (only the 12 yr old has these)
Internet history is available for checking
Other than that they are free to use them whenever they want, they don't seem to sit on them for hours though.

[Babycarmen]

DD is still quite young (7) but loves using Netflix and playing games on her ipod. The rules are; no devices at meal times or after 6pm. No more then 20 minutes at a time for games and 1 hour a day for Netflix. None on school days/evenings. The parental controls are as strong as possible and i make sure in-app purchases etc are switched off.

[ShatnersBassoon]

My only rules are that everyone has to put tablets and phones down when I say, and the children have to ask to go on gadgets (they're still young enough to comply!). It's only DH who struggles to put his phone down...

[VestaCurry]

2 dc's aged 11 and 13 here.
They get 1 hour on school nights on iPads or the pc. One night there is no tech allowed.
Weekends more flexible but homework has to be completed first.
Holidays flexible but we just keep an eye on the time.
We keep a close eye on what they are accessing.

[telsa]

No houserules. The one who really needs a rule is DH - who falls aslepp over flipping Facebook once a week and I find him there at 3 in the morning. The children just have to accept me shouting at them when they have been on the iPad too long (or when I want to use it!).

[milliemoon]

We just try and limit time spent on them. I don't want to miss things my son does or says because I'm busy on Facebook or texting so I do try to make an effort not to go on too much

[Cherryjellybean]

No phones at the table. Anything like youtube that is easy to end up watching something other than what has been agreed is banned. after an hour roughl, it goes off.

[DifferentNow]

Our rules are no screens at mealtimes or at bedtime. I found that the DC struggle to get to sleep if they use screens at bedtime and that they'd stopped reading books, which made me sad. Since this rule has been implemented, I've loved seeing them whizzing through books again and really enjoying reading.

Our broadband is with Sky and it comes with a free parental control called 'Shield' which I think is brilliant. It allows me to choose an overall rating and then any devices in our home using our Wi-Fi are subject to it's controls.

[lpbarton]

We have two little ones 7 & 4 and have rules. Firstly though we have every safety installed going I think and they cannot download apps with us putting a code in.

All technology apart from mummy & daddys phones are turned off overnight. No playing certain games - so only creative in minecraft etc. Chores are to be done before you're allowed on and then only for a limited time. We have apps which turn them off after a certain amount of time unless we put a code in. If they want more time they either help around the house or out in the garden

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

What I want is an app that stops my TV showing 'come dine with me' it's utter rubbish.