Please share your thoughts with Vodafone on how long you allow your children to spend with technology each day: you could win a £250 voucher NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

To celebrate the launch of the new Vodafone family price plan (Red+) they would love to get you discussing how much time you or your DP/DH allow your child(ren) to spend with technology each day or what rules you have in relation to this.

Vodafone say "For some parents, the internet can seem like a bit of minefield and with new technology emerging all the time, it can be hard to stay up to date. If that sounds like you, worry not. Vodafone has put together some guides and articles to help parents maintain control and keep the family safe – find out more here"

"Vodafone has also launched a new plan, designed specifically for families. Red+ gives you one data allowance to share and you can even cap your kids’ data so they don't go over their limit. You'll get one simple bill for all devices, saving you money compared to individual plans, and you'll also get unlimited calls and texts".

The Vodafone Digital Parenting Guide can be found here: www.vodafone.co.uk/family

So please share on this thread your thoughts on this: for example

~ Did you have to set a time limit or does your child self manage?
~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?
~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?

Add your comment to this thread and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 John Lewis voucher.

Please note your comments may be used by Vodafone or MN on Vodafone pages, social media or possibly elsewhere - please only add a comment if you're happy for it to be used.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

too young to use it

On weekdays my son has to do his homework when he comes back from school, then he can use his phone and console until dinner. Sometimes he can have them again until showertime but occasionally I think gaming gets him too wound up to sleep, so it's rare! I'm more relaxed on weekends, as long as he gets some fresh air too!

Technology nowadays is an important tool for learning and future possibilities in various careers. With that in mind we allow 30 minutes per night on the PC or tablet, but the weekend we're a bit more relaxed and allow 2 hours

We don't limit but don't have a free for all either. Tv has its place but so does other activities

we have always set limits on the amount of time my children use technology , we have a routine of weekends they can play on the xbox , for a set amount of time each , because i often find unless they stick to that time , they start misbehaving , the older children are allowed to use the internet for homework , and later on they are allowed to use thier phones until a set time , after that time all tech is taken away and then its bedtime , we have to set this as they would happily spend far too much time on it , missing out on sleep , and i really do prefer to encourage to get my children away from tech and go out with thier friends instead of just speaking over social media/xbox live

Two hours per day supervised.

My boys are only allowed to use technology for gaming at weekends, and even then we restrict use to around an hour per day. They usually play games such as Minecraft or FIFA. I do allow access during the week if it is for research purposes for homework.
If I didn't have restrictions they would be on games any chance that they get. If that is allowed to happen their behaviour deteriorates.

about an hour altogether, but supervised and only doing educational games.

I don't think it's good for young children to spend too much time with adult technology - watching TV is bad enough, but I suppose to watch a nice animation does no harm now and again. But there is no need to introduce them to ipads, phones, video games and internet at such a young age.

~ Did you have to set a time limit or does your child self manage?

We don't have set limits but DS knows that 'screen time' is a treat and likely to be withdrawn for poor behaviour

~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?

We don't set limits because it varies so much. Some days he doesn't go near a screen, other days he may be on there for an hour. I feel that having, for example, a set 30mins a day would mean that DS would always be looking to claim that time. Across the week it probably averages at 40mins/day.

~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?

Frivolous, cool maths, ticket to ride

~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?

Not really, it's on our radar and we make sure that DS does lots of other stuff. We have parental controls on the Broadband.

~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?

Our only rule is that when we say that time's up, we mean it!

DS1 (4) doesn't spend any time online as such - I'll occasionally show him a picture/video/google something for him, but not often.

He plays with some ipad apps (cbeebies, writing, monster's socks) sometimes (every few weeks for maybe 20 min).

He probably watches too much telly though!

no specific time limits, depends if they need it for schoolwork or not as well.

About an hour a day of TV, 10 mins in the morning before going to school, 20 mins when he gets in from school, then half hour before bed. I am not sure how much he gets in school though.

~ Did you have to set a time limit or does your child self manage
my children are 4&6 - I do not have time limits
~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?

• I don't

~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?

• they use a leappad, cbeebies apps and tocoboco apps

~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?

• no concern right now

~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?

• no

It's usually Minecraft on the ipad although sometimes they also enjoy Squeebles a maths app.

I don't set a time limit as such, but I make sure he does everything else first before playing anything, and it ends up being self managed. He uses learning apps aswell as games and currently his favourite is fruit ninja and we always play against each other.
At the moment I'm not concerned with how much he goes on the internet as it's always useful, however I am concerned with what he accesses and most of the time it's youtube videos and I make sure he's not listening to any with swearing in as that's what he tends to do. It makes things awkward as he asks me what certain swear words mean (without realising that they're naughty words)

We Have tried Putting time limits on but always seem to slip with them after a few weeks. No Technology is allowed until all homework is done though.

depends really, the children (5,7) get 1 hour free time for xbox, which is fair, after that if they wish to have more time they must work for it, whether that maybe jobs like hoovering/ washing the dishes or handwriting /maths/ English sheets.

This way i am rewarding them with with exactly what they want but at the same time making them understand both working and learning can be rewarding.

We usually limit 'screen time' to 3 hours a day. There are exceptions when we have guests tot an occasion when it suits us though. Which I know is pretty poor.

we don't really time this but make sure the homework is done and as there are various clubs and out with friends it doesn't leave much time.

an hr a day

We have a very strict limit of no more than 30 minutes every other day. It is quite hard to monitor with 4 children, but the rule is, if they don't come off straightaway when their time is up or come off grumpily, they lose their 30 minutes the next time.

Three hours max

They are only allowed 'tech' time after homeworks have been done in the late afternoon/early evening. Before school if they are ready early (not likely lol) then they get to watch tv for a bit whilst I get everything ready. I think technology is an important part of the changing world but I dont want it to be the be all and the end all of their lives x

My DD is allowed 2 x 15minutes of CBeebies a day, she isn't old enough to request more anyway...