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MNHQ

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

311 replies

AnnMumsnet · 20/10/2014 09:50

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

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
OP posts:
AndHarry · 26/10/2014 07:28

I don't set a time limit but my children are too young to access the Internet on their own. The kids would happily watch YouTube videos of volcanos and lions for hours but my attention span is clearly shorter than that... As mentioned, they often ask to see something that they've heard about elsewhere, so we use YouTube quite a lot. They also watch cartoons on NetFlix. It's not a concern to me as they use the web for a set purpose and then log off, they don't surf. No rules as such yet but I do filter what they see - try finding videos of piranhas that are suitable for a 4yo! - and I have started explaining to them that not everything is good to watch.

Pinkandpurplehairedlady · 26/10/2014 20:01

I tend to allow them 30 mins max a time (my DC are 3 & 5), somedays it's a lot less and some days it's more.

They mostly play phonic games as my DS has a speech delay so it helps him. On a rainy day they will watch Netflix.

At the moment I don't really have concerns about the amount of time they spend online but I imagine as they get older it will become more of an issue.

janeyf1 · 27/10/2014 06:00

My little ones get to use their tablets for an hour after dinner, then it is power off and quality time together before bedtime

WaxyBean · 27/10/2014 06:18

No more than an hour a day. But we do police what they're doing - fortunately both are into the educational programmes recommended by DS1's school. I don't expect this will last though....

Any fighting over the ipad results in it being confiscated.

peaf · 27/10/2014 06:18

I do try and limit it but it's a huge part of their lives and always will be

nodrog88 · 27/10/2014 06:29

Not really. I make sure they do other things to keep them busy

inspiron42 · 27/10/2014 06:35

We do not set time limits as the child learns to regulate this themselves. Board games are just as popular in our household. We are more concerned that a lot of our youngest's homework is online.

Chell53 · 27/10/2014 06:40

Usually an hour or two if I need to keep them quiet for a bit but it depends on the day and what else we're doing.

Laineyflo · 27/10/2014 06:49

We don't really have time limits, as long as homework is completed and they've behaved well. We are quite lucky that they don't tend to sit on computers/consoles all day long, and would rather flit between activities.

Lindsaym1983 · 27/10/2014 06:53

Q1.) I set time limits during school days but not during holidays and weekends . As when we let her self manage she was on her tablet for hours and would hide it under her
Mpillow and be on it until late at night.
Q2.) we set the time limit as she was staying on her tablet until very late at night without are knowledge she was also spending far to much time on it and not socialising if I leg her self manage she would be on tablet nonstop and school work would start to suffer
Q3.) she goes on Instagram and YouTube to watch zoella videos and loom band making and nail painting videos or to watch episodes of her frave tv shows. And sometimes plays games that she downloads the apps for
Q4.)yes I worry she is spending to much time online , worry about her eyesight due to being on tablet a lot also incase she gets exposed to something she should not be even though we have blocks on her tablet and check what she has been upto daily.
Q5.) we take it off her of she is naughty so she sees it as a reward and also warn her if she goes on any sights she is not aloud to we will take tablet off her for good.

tompob1 · 27/10/2014 07:06

Mine normally are allowed 30 minutes after homework and before tea during the week, at weekends anything upto 2 hours they are 4 and 7

howtoapproachthis · 27/10/2014 07:17

I have to set a time limit, because if I didn't my child would be on the internet for hours on end.

at the minute my dd mostly watches youtube videos

sometimes it concerns me that she could watch youtube for a couple of hours, when i would prefer her to spend that time playing with her toys.

i basically use the internet for when i need to do things - for example getting ready in the morning, housework, dinner cooked, a phone call, or when i need a break! as my dd is quite intense throughout the day. So when i am done doing what i need to do that is when she is finished and we go and play together.

my tips are to give her lots and lots of notice, and let her reason with me. if i want her to turn it off at 4pm, i will tell her its time to stop at 3.45. then she will say please mummy some more. then i will say ok one more. this will happen a couple more times and she thinks she is getting a really good deal and doesn't fight me when it IS 4pm and i turn it off.

she is too young to really manage surfing herself, when she gets older i feel i will need to monitor everything she does online, simply because of the nature of what is out there, i want to protect her.

bonhomme · 27/10/2014 07:20

We limit usage to weekends only. At weekends we tend to allow about an hour only usage at any one time, broken up with a family walk or such like.

liamell · 27/10/2014 07:34

My children are 2, 11 and 14 so this will be a varied answer.

My two year old...,he has learnt how to control Netflix on my phone and can navigate his way across my iPad quicker than I can.
This has been a godsend on car journeys but I do not have to manage his time on there as we are so active imagination wise we are more often than not playing with toys and enjoying role play instead.

My Eleven year old....obsessed with her phone. Will not put it down and panicks when it starts to run out of battery. Been heard to state "oh my gosh I'd die if my battery ran out"
Yes, I absolutely limit her. I take the phone away at various times during the day and evening.

My 14 year old....has technology falling from every orifice! Phone, iPad, Xbox and laptop. There is always at least one on the go. Far too much time spent on them and not enough outdoors I feel.
I give him the choice to put them down and he does, to come and spend time with us, so we do manage a happy balance BUT sometimes I do feel my family is lost to technology and buttons!

finleypop · 27/10/2014 07:44

My son is allowed 1 hour on school days & 3 hours on weekend days. Punishments are usually the confiscation of his electricals!

devito92 · 27/10/2014 07:53

I wont allow my son to go on his Xbox any longer that a couple of hours.Its so sad to see how addicted they get when no boundaries are set.

26jibby · 27/10/2014 07:56

I judge it every day.

shawbarbara · 27/10/2014 07:58

I just be sensible about times - children need their sleep, and they need to socialise with people!

Marg2k8 · 27/10/2014 08:13

My childen are now older. My son is at university studying computing, so effectively, I let him "play" with it full time. When they were younger, there was not so much technology around, so it was only a small amount of time.

gingercat1975 · 27/10/2014 08:17

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

Due to our primary school having blog time and homework, set hours depends on their homework first then fun time. We do try to use other sources of information/books/outdoor activities.. but mainly their work is done on the laptop. By the time they have completed their work they tend to watch tv or read a book.

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

with school work or playing games we still set time limits... consistantly looking at a screen, even with a screen barrier can take it toll on their eyes. we encouarge our eldest (9) to take breaks every 10-15 mins
~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?

mainly school related sites, minecraft, and catch up tv programmes.

~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
No its not a concern at the moment as they are always in the same room and we can keep an eye on them, checking and getting them to make regular breaks

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

Once online homework is completed, they are allowed 'playtime'. this would be allowed about 1/2 hour after they have finished homework. sometimes after the 1/2 hour they are ingrossed in another activity or taking the dog for a walk. On weekends due to 2 children and 1 laptop they have an egg timer for an hour each with regular breaks inbetween.

ElectroNymph · 27/10/2014 08:22

As long as they want, provided that homework and chores are done.

badgermum · 27/10/2014 08:25

Our boys have one hour a day during school days and two hours at weekends/school holidays then they can earn more time by doing other things and they can also lose time (it's a great form of bribery) we keep track of their times on a blackboard wall in the kitchen.

jandoc · 27/10/2014 08:34

my oldest was allowed to spend a couple of hours a day

Portabella24 · 27/10/2014 08:42

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

During the week we have a maximum of 2 hours a day for all screen time. I wouldn't say it is always strictly enforced.
~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?
If we didn't set any time limits then I reckon they would be on their devices all night.
~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
DS9 is all about Terraria, Minecraft and Minecraft videos on YouTube. Also Pokemon and Fifa on consoles. DS11 is more about his phone apps - Instagram, Snap Chat, Twitter and Vine. He also spends a load of time on Football Manager and YouTube.
~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
Absolutely. I am worried about the lack of reading and the tendency to toss off homework to get back to whatever I've interrupted. They still go out quite a lot though and play sports so I'm not concerned from that point of view. I do worry about lack of sleep - I have to remove everything from their bedrooms to make sure they don't sneak back on.
~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?
The only time I've managed successfully is when I've asked my DSs to help me write a timetable for their time during the week. I am very close to installing apps that only allow a certain period of online time but I'd rather persuade than mandate iyswim.

Sallyannlloydjones · 27/10/2014 08:47

Not longer than an hour