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."

[mumatron]

I have a 13, 10 and 3yo.

The rules for tablets, mobiles and laptops are they must be downstairs at bed times and no charges in the bedroom.

The youngest has a tablet that has a kid mode so she can't access any websites at all unless we put in a password.

They aren't allowed to delete their web history so I can always check where they have been.

Works for us.

[fuzzpig]

We have a family iPad. It's a first generation one which my friend gave us when he upgraded. We didn't set rules on it at first but noticed that sometimes DD (5 at the time) would get really too into it IYSWIM, she would get 'tunnel vision' and stressy and even shouty if we said it was time to stop.

So we agreed on 30 minutes a day each. We did try an hour each but because the DCs tend to sit together when they're playing and watch each other it was too much in total. No saving up of time so if they don't use it they lose it. This happens surprisingly often - they went through a long phase of wanting it every day but it's more of an afterthought now.

The main rule is that if they strop when it's time to turn it off, they lose their time the next day. Only happened a few times. Depends on personality IME - DS is totally chilled and just switches it off mid game, DD as mentioned above gets too into it.

Other rule is that their screen time is only in the living room. No screens in bedroom, ever. And not at meals of course. If I'm serving up dinner when they're still playing, they pause it and can have the rest of their time when they're finished eating.

Very occasionally DD will ask for her 30 mins on the laptop instead (we also have an old Nintendo DS which they can have their time on) BUT she is only allowed that if I can be in the room the whole time. She likes doing those tacky dress up games but they are all full of flashing adverts and it's all too easy to end up with a gazillion tabs open on goodness knows what if you aren't careful. It concerns me and I think she (7) is still too young for unsupervised time.

That said, I'd like her to be able to practise typing and stuff.

We were out for dinner with DSDs the other day and the family near us had two young DDs both on tablets. I hadn't even noticed until DSD mentioned it (out of earshot when we were getting drinks) - she was ranting about how rude it is and may have used the phrase "it didn't happen when I was young" - she's 16 :o

[Wickeddevil]

No technology at the dinner table.

Ipad is WIFI only and phones use WIFI whenever possible.

Don't post anything you wouldn't say in real life

Mister maker is not more important than mumsnet

When our teenagers were younger we also checked their browsing history and kept an eye on Facebook. This has become less of an issue now they are older, but we also have a 5 yo so will not doubt be doing again.

[Mummageddon]

No phones in the bedroom and no phones at the table.

I found that the light from devices late in the evening really messes with my sleep patterns.

[lorna1104]

my 3 year old son uses a kindle tablet but i turn the internet off so he doesnt buy in games apps x

[mutleythegooner]

My daughter loves to watch Peppa Pig on my iPad but is limited to 1 hour a day and can't watch when it gets to an hour before bed time. She is too young for a phone.

[TracyKNixon]

Mine are 10, 9, 8 and 7 and none of them have mobile phones yet. They all have iPads, which I don't mind them used apart from at meal times and bed times and if they are constantly on them, I tell them to switch off and get outside for some fresh air! They use the family computer, which is in the living room so I am always around to see what they are doing. Thankfully they don't seem to look at anything they shouldn't. They are too young to have Facebook accounts. Once they are I will be supervising though!

[ThemisA]

Young ones are not allowed their own phones but we have a few shared phones they can borrow.

Under 10s are supervised on laptops/notebooks etc and time limited and the devices are in common rooms and shared.

Older children have their own devices and more freedom but the rules can be changed if they cannot manage the freedom. Plenty of discussions about dangers and peer pressure.

[Maclairey]

My DS is only 17 months but is already showing a keen interest in screens. We are doing our very best not to use our phones and iPad when he is around, or if we do only briefly. However culture is different now and I think it's going to be so hard going forward. I really want my son to play with proper toys rather than iPads etc but I think it will get much harder as he gets older.

[twinklenic]

My children are 11 months , 14 years and 15 years . My older two have both had mobiles since they went to secondary school so i could keep in touch and they could get in touch if they needed me . I make sure that if we go to any appointments they turn their phones off before we get there. i also make sure we have no phones on during meal times and that their phones are witched off at night over night so they go to sleep and are not on snapchat/ whatsapp to their friends all night !

[aless02]

my kids are only 4 & 2 so our rules are fairly lax - they each get 25 minutes of iPad time a day to play their apps & games. I have password protected App Store so they can't make any purchases. It works well so far, but obviously as they get older I'll have to keep reviewing our policies.

[lizd31]

Phones are not to be used during family time such as meals & must be switched off overnight. They should not be switched on during school hours

[Katherinee11iott]

ask to go on the device, limited time allowed at weekends only.

[happysouls]

My son is 22 and doesn't live at home so beyond rules. The only thing I would ask of him is to have the courtesy to stop playing with the phone when we meet up for coffee!

[glennamy]

No phone/device use during meal times, no devices whatsoever for 30 minutes before bed/sleep...

Just wished I could do the same for my 24hr work support roll! ;0(

[cazzzie987]

Mobiles are not used at meal times as that's family times and we have no laptop or mobile night on Saturday.

[Chopstheduck]

The kids all have to ask before using electronic devices, so we can keep an eye on how much time they do spend on them. We also limit access by device to the router, so they can't actually get online at all without permission.

[RhinosAreFatUnicorns]

DD is 3 so no real rules - she thinks the iPad is hers and asks to download apps on it - we have a number of children's educational games on it.

My phone has a pin on it so she can't access that.

Our only other rule is that he has limited time on the iPad and no gadgets at the dinner table.

As she grows older I can imagine that I will impose rules such as no gadgets in the bedroom/after a certain time.

[princesssmitheee]

we dont have any rules, if you wanna use the phone or go on tablet. go ahead x

[julieef]

we have parental controls on everything

[ChocolateCake1]

I limit use of tablets to a maximum of an hour a day as I want my child to be familiar with technology but also play traditional games and exercise not just sit around all day.

I only let my child use it when I'm in the same room as although we have set paretal controls I still want to see what they are accessing.

Technology is a positive but children should also play outside.

[WienerDiva]

Me and DH don't allow ourselves our devices at the dinner table for generally messing about on it, if replying to a message fine at home.

We don't get them out at people's houses, I hate it when people do it at ours.

As for dd(3) she's got an iPad for long car journeys etc and she gets 15 minutes a day on it.

[feefeegabor]

Our rules are definitely NO devices at the table, no answering calls or texting during meals and limited iPad time for my 12 year old, plus she can only go online in my presence when I can see what's she's doing.

[Gbear0382]

Fairly relaxed, but definitely no phones at the dinner table. The line has to be drawn somewhere!

[Rcollins91]

Use them in the evenings when kids are in bed.