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

I don't have a set time a such and during the school week there is really not much time at all ..... so I would say there are brief snatches of 10 minutes here and there during the week. On the weekend I would let my daughter play for around 30 minutes or so at a time. She is only 7 so gets bored of it after awhile. She loves Apps that have animals and she builds up pets and zoos .... she used to love games like Subway Surf, but on the whole enjoys games that allow her to dress, or change someone, she does a bit of minecraft (I think its the creative level), and we have loads of the toka toka games which arevery sweet.
At the moment I am not concerned about the amount of time she spends online, it is moderated as she uses my ipad and does not have her own device, there is not much time during the week to play, and on weekends, or travelling or on holiday I would let her play with it if she was on a long trip or we were away from home.

Did you have to set a time limit or does your child self manage?
As long as 14 year old DD has done her chores and done her homework, I am happy for her to spend however long she likes on the interweb.

Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?
I did try to set limits when she first started wanting to go online but there is always some homework or other that needs online researching so I took the restraints off on the laptop

What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
I would say social media sites, such as FB, Snapchat and Instagram

Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
Not a concern as long as she isn't waking up all bog-eyed

Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?
Like I said earlier, chores and homework must be done, if not then no WIFI password. I would change the password so that she cannot go online, or if she is cheeky then she isn't permitted her phone.

The amount of time my children like to devote to creative, stimulating, rewarding games and activities is the bane of my life. I wish they'd sit and watch a bloody programme! (Sorry. Still half term here in Wales).

I kind of have a time limit - but its a treat being able to use it so shes not really on that often - but generally an hour.

I am a programmer and I know what's beneficial and what's not about using IT - in general the beneficial thing is me having some peace and quiet!
shes mostly on CBeebies but recently we have got some museum apps - the natural history one is really good.

i'm not concerned about the amount of time she spends on there as I monitor it.

If the children do eg. 1 hour of maths, they are then allowed on iPad for 1 hour. They don't use social media - just play apps. I am not concerned as I monitor their usage - long may this last!

My DD is 14. She is only interested in Facebook and shopping = that is e-window shopping. She self manages time.

She listens to Spotify whilst surfing shop websites and Facebook/texting.

She mostly uses her laptop in the living room so I can keep an eye on what she is doing. Can only do this up to a point. Cannot control texts and it is a concern although she is very sensible generally.

I am mre concerned about what she is accessing when at friend's houses as many of them seem to have access to unlimited TV viewing, some in their bedrooms.

Mostly DD is texting girlfriends about homework and girlstuff. I was horrified to see that she sent over 900 texts in one month!

I think she is quite typical of her year group.

We try to limit our sons technology use he isn't on it too often but I'm not overly concerned because what he goes on is educational and fun for him

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

Not really, they tend to wander off and do other things after a while. Some days they barely use it and other days it will be a while so i think it evens out over the week.

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

If things were getting excessive then we would be stricter but they really are quite good at self-limiting.

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

Minecraft, angry birds and a couple of educational apps are the most used. Plus the school moodle for homework.

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

Not really. They have lots of other interests, they play outside, build lego, do crafts etc

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

If they were getting obsessive and not wanting to partake in other activities because they wanted the time online then we would certainly be stricter and setting limits. Tablets/consoles are taken away as a consequence for bad behaviour and have to be earned back.

dS7&5 no screen time on school nights unless specific homework (that obv doesn't include tv) Hols &weekends no fixed limits -if bad weather or we're busy will let them play For longer. Love FIFA and angry birds plus games they play at school such as truck loader

My DC are nearly 5 and 6, so they aren't allowed on the internet search engines. They are allowed to watch CBeebies through an app, and play with the games apps (mainly children's games) on my iPad. The iPad does have a password so we have to type it in for them to access it, and they are unable to buy anything on it. I don't like them spending more than an hour in any one day in front of it, and they are not allowed to do this every day. iPad use is used as a treat that is taken away for bad behaviour.
It works well, and they can learn quite a lot from the apps!

3 hours max, week ends a little longer.

My DDs are allowed on the PC or IPad when they come home from school, before tea. I don't have a strict time limit, I tend to see what it is that they are playing on first and if it's vaguely educational I'm more lenient about them having longer. They can be on there for up to an hour, then I give them a five minute warning that their time is nearly up. If I didn't restrict the time they would stay on all evening.
They usually head for cbbc or cbeebies websites first as they see them advertised and use the at school too. they like moshI monsters a lot too.
I'm not concerned about the amount of time they spend online as I always make sure I am around to supervise what site they are on & keep an eye on the time. ICT is a big part of the school curriculum now so it helps to develop those skills as well as giving some extra practise in phonics etc on the more educational based sites.
My five minute warning rule is usually sufficient to get them to come off the PC but I know at school they have egg timers and digital clock with timers to make sure they don't stay on too long.

DD is only 3, and at the moment her time online is limited to small amounts playing with apps on the tablet/Daddy's phone. At the moment she rarely asks for them, but I can see that changing as she gets older, and I'll have to decide how strict I actually want to be. I can see the benefits of some apps etc for entertainment and learning, but would rather we were reading a book together.

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

With one child we have to manage time or he would be using technology all the time. With our daughter we don't, she has so many interests with tech being just a small part of that.

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

I don't think that is helpful for development to be spending all of your time on tech. I think they need a broad range of interests.

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

Mainly games, but also sites where they can interact with friends too.

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

A definite concern with one, with our other child no.

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

We don't have any particular rules for dealing with it. They are aware that we have concerns about time spent with tech, but they deal with our wishes just fine.

The biggest issue we have with internet time is the amount of stuff which comes from School requiring access to the web.
And were currently in Y1, so I can only imagine it is going to increase.

We don't limit the homework time, and the shortness of the games that hold his interest self regulates the rest - although he has just started getting into minecraft. We are running the demo at the moment, and he is happy. Not sure how long that will last.

I set a time limit, DD when she'd otherwise be watching CBBC or a DVD, DS when he's on the loo (we're potty training)!If I didn't I think they'd be fighting over my phone all day and I wouldn't get a look-in!The time they spend online isn't a concern yet.

DCs are teenagers.
~ Did you have to set a time limit or does your child self manage?
Self manages mostly, but there is an auto curfew enforced at around 10/11pm to around 6/6am.

~ Why do you set time limits and what do you think your child would do if you didn't?
I set limits because before we had the limits they would be up using these devices/computers in the early hours. One DC used to try to do homework on just one night a week. This helped her spread it out. The other used to get texts from a friend in the early hours every night, so I put restrictions on her phone until the friend got the message that this was not acceptable.

~ What sort of sites or apps does your child spend the most time on?
Youtube, homework sites, art/drawing/interest. Some social networking and games.
~ Are you concerned about the amount of time they spend online or is it not a concern to you?
It can become a bit of a concern sometimes, but it is a part of modern life and bringing up teenagers has many more serious concerns!

~ Do you have any rules re time online or any techniques or tips for dealing with it?
we have a variety of rules for keeping safe online, but now they are teens they really need to be learning to be responsible for their own time and learning self control. Our advice is, homework comes before games or socialising. socialising with the family and people you are with comes first. No phones/devices at the dinner table (unless looking something up that relates to the conversation) and ideally, devices off an hour or so before sleep. Best way to deal with it is to set a good example.

If I had younger children, I think I'd go more for us having big shared screens in shared rooms and not private smart phones, so they were used to the idea of the internet being a public place and to encourage more family interaction. I think families will be more like this fairly soon, and that will be a safer environment for children.

DS is six and I do set limits on his time with technology. I don't think that technology per se is the devil incarnate but it has an addictive quality that I dislike having to manage with DS.
I play it by ear as to how long he gets, but my view is that it can be ok as part of a balanced diet of activities but because it's a tad addictive I have to enforce it's limits in order to stop it crowding out all the other activities that DS enjoys and which bring richness and variety to his childhood.

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

My child self manages. She doesn't spend huge long amounts of time in front of screens so i have never felt the need, as yet, to limit the time she spends online.

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

N/A

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

My child enjoys talking to her friends on Facetime & Hangouts and she likes playing MovieStarPlanet & Pixel Gun

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

It is not a concern for me at the moment.

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

As long as important jobs are done, like homework and tidying her room etc then i am quite lenient. I wouldnt let her go online whilst she is eating meals either.

my son is only 6 so doesnt use the laptop or social media! However i do only let him watch 2 hours tv after school eachday!

We don't set a limit although after an hour on Xbox they are both asked to come off for a while

Very little, but it is in moderation and not at certain times like bed times,

So only an a hour or two altogether, but technology is so great I.e learning and entertainment

Well, my son is only 2 and a half years old, so he doesnt really use technology much, but when he does he goes on my phone (which he knows how to work better than me) and he plays the CBeebies App for no longer than 30minutes.

We are more guilty of overusing technology than our son! Have rules as to when we use it (not in evenings before bed) to try to set good example. iPad games restricted to when we really need DS to sit still, so novelty does not wear off, so he mainly uses it when we are in restaurants waiting for food. His (and our) favourite games are Peppa Pig, Postman Pat and Cbeebies as all have an educational element so make us feel less guilty! Happy that DS can use technology as it is vital for the world we live in, but that he's not addicted to it - he'd still much prefer to be running around outside or reading a book.

My kids are 3 and 5, do online time isn't really an issue yet, however they would spend all day in the ipad if i allowed them. We get them to set the timer for 10 minute intervals and try not to let them have more than an hour a day whilst I try to get on with something else
They like angry birds, and the Toca Boca ones, plus the cbeebies app.