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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:
LizB62 · 28/10/2014 21:59

It depends - he's 6ft 2 now (!) so it's difficult to get him to do much he doesn't want to to. Luckily he still loves reading so can be distracted from technology by a good book !

farhanac · 29/10/2014 08:15

No more than an hour at a time on the Ipad

maureen3733 · 29/10/2014 09:52

two hours

OutDamnSpot · 29/10/2014 12:09

I try to limit mine to 30min each per day but with 3dc who all watch each others turns that can still total 1.5 hours.

Unless I set oven timer as reminder it can also over run as tablet / PC is one thing which occupies and engages them so they don't bug me and I can get other stuff done. Consequently I lose track of time and often sessions are only ended by it being mealtime.

Until recently all online was on TV channel websites cbeebies, CBBC, nick Jr etc but recently you tube has become a thing which does worry me as obviously there is all sorts on there so need to police more closely.

We are about to move house and plan fresh start on helping in home, taking responsibility etc in return for which pocket money and screen time can be earned. If left to them they would be online all day and increasingly watching not interacting so limits are required.

ScrambledEggAndToast · 29/10/2014 12:45

Shamefully, I have no real limits for DS (11). Although I have told him that after half term the xbox will be limited to 1 hour per day on school nights. He currently uses xbox live. He also has an ipad which he is on constantly and loves YouTube, spotify and angry birds. He uses skype to call his dad and grandma.

princesssmitheee · 29/10/2014 14:06

1 HOUR

sscrase · 29/10/2014 15:46

About 2hrs a day. Half an hour in the morning if he wakes up before "Getting up time" and then an hour or so in the evening after tea before bed.

phillie1 · 29/10/2014 16:01

don't set anything in stone, but depends what else thay have done/are doing that day, and also what the weather is like!! A grey rainy day, they are allowed longer than when the sun is shining!

FrontForward · 29/10/2014 17:26

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

~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
Homework sites seem to be a lot of her time. Duolingo, Facebook, Candy Crush, Skype, Picture software

~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
No. She does lots of other things and doesn't spend all her time online by choice. The TV however.....

~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?
keep busy! You can only sit at a device for as long as you're not doing anything else.

ILoveMyCaravan · 29/10/2014 17:41

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

Bit of both

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

They would stay on all day and night if we didn't ask them to have a break.

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

Minecraft

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

I am concerned, but my eldest has taught himself loads on his PC and this has directly led to him having a p/t job in a computer shop.

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

They get asked to come off all tech and have a complete break, which they will do. They moan a bit but are generally good as the consequences would be being banned altogether.

leanneth · 29/10/2014 20:50

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

We set limits. They ask if they can go on their tablets or ds and know that they won't always be allowed. Homework has to be completed first. 1 hour at most during the week, usually less by the time everything else has been done. Sometimes we allow 1.5hours on Saturday afternoons.

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

I don't want them to spend too long on gadgets and not do anything else in the real world! Eldest daughter might self regulate and come off on her own if left but I'm quite sure eldest son would stay on as long as was physically possible if we didn't set limits.

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

Games. Used to be moshi monsters, now it's a few different sites and games.

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

Not concerned because we set limits. I would be concerned if we didn't enforce limits as strictly as we do.

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

Homework and other things must be completed first. Time on gadgets is a privilege not a right

peanutmum111 · 29/10/2014 21:05

We try very hard to be positive about the use of the ipads.
At the moment we load 'educational' sites, and only occasionally allow a 'racing' type app, ( never before bedtime) However, we have found excellent 'story type' apps which are suitable before bedtime.
The ipad is used as a reward, but mostly educational, we are linking up with school phonics programme.
So at age 5 and 3, we are in charge and we will enjoy reading your strategies to plan ours.

mouseybabe · 30/10/2014 00:14

My child is only two. I let him have half an hour on the iPad a week, supervised. He does try to stay on it for longer and cries at the end of the session. He plays on Cbeebies app. I tell him that Cbeenies are tired or daddy needs the iPad for work, then hide it for a few days.

Cherryjellybean · 30/10/2014 07:20

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

~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?
She would watch the same program over and over again if I didn't. All day.

~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
Cbeebies, I player demand 5

~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
Not at the moment some days we are busy and she doesn't go on at all and she doesn't ask for it or miss it.
~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?
If it gets up to an hour that day it goes off.

Purpleflamingos · 30/10/2014 07:40

I judge it by their mood and the type of day we are having. Yesterday I went on bbc bite size maths ks1 with my eldest ds (5yrs) and spent some time with him as he loves maths. Then I let him play on cbeebies site for another hour. That was after a 3 day computer ban for refusing to give me my phone back on several occasions after being told '10 minutes and I need my phone back'. Combined with a long term his attitude was horrible, when he turned back into himself after a couple of days of just playing in parks with friends and catching up with family he was allowed on the computer again.
Dd is 3yrs and she likes gaston's maze on the milkshake channel. She likes the dinosaur jigsaw app on my phone and plays for 10 minutes or so three times a week. There are no rules as such, it just depends on what we are doing. As long as they are still as happy playing in the garden as they are on gadgets (phones, laptops, computers) then I'm prepared to let it be a part of their lives. I don't ever want it to take over their lives though.

lizd31 · 30/10/2014 14:53

Olivia is too young for technology though she is fascinated with phones. I think playing with other children is more important at her age than technology

lilyloo · 30/10/2014 16:45

We don't really set time limits as during the week we have to many after school activities to allow much screen time. They probably do have more than I am happy with at weekend. I generally suggest a dog walk when it gets to much.
Mine craft is the site of choice in this house.
We only have one laptop so it needs to be shared between 5 if us so I guess that stops to much screen time anyway but I still feel the dc have to much sometimes.
We don't have rules as such but every now and then especially if they start getting frustrated it's switched off for some down time.

gizmosmama · 30/10/2014 19:26

DS is too young yet but when he is old enough, there will be rules around tech like not at meals only when homework done etc. Difficult as technology is a way of life now, different when I was young. In some ways you don't want to limit them as the learning opportunities and the need for tech ability are growing however so are the dangers and the endless new ways of bullying etc.
I think one of the biggest lessons I want DS to learn is that everything online is open to everyone to see and stays there forever no matter how careful or clever you think you are.

kirsty4065 · 30/10/2014 21:02

an hour max but at the moment hes only three so is often bored before the time is up anyways and if we are on the tablet together i make sure its educational such as writing letters or numbers :)

buckley1983 · 30/10/2014 22:26

My little one is already showing an interest in technology - confidently uses phones & enjoys taking photos of himself peering down at the screen! At the moment we just use it as distraction by watching programmes through cbeebies, but I know the time will come very soon where he is requesting to use it. Time limits seem a sensible way of managing this - there are many, many benefits to technology & I want little one to enjoy these - but also to maintain & continue to develop his social skills which I feel can deteriorate if too much time is spent on technology.

VelmaD · 30/10/2014 23:55

mine are six and 8 and barely allowed on the net. they can do homework apps, like bug clib and mathletics and we look things up on google together, but the internet is switched off in their tablets and they arent allowed on mine or the laptop unsupervised. theres not many things im strict about, but under tens and internet usage is one of them.

empire11 · 31/10/2014 02:13

My two are only young so they don't really play much with technology, and at the moment that is the way we want to keep it.

BL0SS0M · 31/10/2014 07:55

no real time limit but i they don't watch very much! They get a movie night on fridays though teenager has phone which she uses to watch things on! Think it is important to limit their use of technology but i don't like saying you can only have this much time, i just try to get them out and about with friends or busy doing other things! The younger one loves watching things on youtube like bo on the go or simons cat, but as they are quite short i can say just watch one and then we'll go do something else!

sweetnuttydogs · 31/10/2014 08:07

We have lots of educational apps on our Tablet, and only a few games. She has to play/learn the educational apps before playing the fun ones. Usually she plays for an hour a day and on weekends we do allow longer. But if she is naughty then she isn't allowed. We always watch what she is playing too.

southernsun · 31/10/2014 11:12

Our DS is five and we allow him half an hour in the morning and one hour after school to either watch tv or play on his tablet.