Screen timei

[reytmardy]

How much time does your 12/13 year old spend on screens? My 12 year old has activities twice a week after school in the week and every Saturday and Sunday morning. When not at school or activities, he wants to be on You Tube constantly - on the bus and at home. I have locked it to switch off at 8pm. Is this common with teens?

Absolutely! We're all going through it. I don't tend to ban screen/phones unless it interrupts with school work, sleep, or we don't see him all night. I do say "enough now come down and socialise." Good luck!

My 13yo is allowed on her phone after school for a couple of hours and then it's homework or I encourage her to do something else.

On the weekends we tend to be out and about but she probably gets a couple of hours on her phone as well.

She's not allowed her phone in her bedroom at all.

To be honest I'm worried about the 6 week summer holidays. He will be at sport camp one day a week and hopefully climbing one morning each week. Rest of the time is a struggle to find somewhere he wants to go.
From when he gets up about 6am to bedtime at 9pm, it's a lot of time to fill to keep him off screens.
He's not allowed out alone (some SEN) and no friends live local.

Feel your pain (xbox here). I think all parents of teens do.

Mine becomes hysterical and abusive if I limit time at all. I’m really stuck. I would say it’s better to encourage other activities, than limit, but mine won’t do anything. It’s the main source of arguments. At the same time it’s the main source of socialising. I have no sense of what’s reasonable.