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Teenagers

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DS (15) prioritising Discord chats over exams

4 replies

PinotPony · 07/05/2021 10:10

DS is a bright boy, predicted 7/8/9 in his GSCEs. He's currently sitting GCSE assessments which the teachers will use to determine his grades.

He gets up for a paper round every morning and is generally a nice lad. Social circle is small, he doesn't hang out with any mates, stays home in his room. Made worse by lack of football and scouts etc this year.

In recent months he's spending increased time on Discord, a messaging platform, chatting to his Minecraft "friends" in America. I've looked at the messages. Most of the content is innocent enough... talk about school, his dog, gaming... but increasingly it's been about a girl he really liked but has fallen out with. His friends tell him to stop obsessing, trying to contact her, creating fake accounts. He says he can't stop thinking about her.

He is constantly messaging various people and groups.His face is either in his phone or on his bedroom PC!

Ex-DH and I spoke to him a few days ago about how much time he was spending on Discord and whether it was healthy. He assured us he blocks anyone who is nasty and that he just enjoys chatting.

I've looked again this morning and he was chatting from 2-3am last night. He's got a double GCSE English exam today!

He clearly can't regulate himself. I've set iPhone to no more than 2 hours access per day and blocked everything from 2200-0700.

Any ideas what to do about the Windows PC access? I'm not sure how I can just block Minecraft and Discord....? Or how to disable it overnight..?

Tempted to just remove it from his room but he needs it for studying.

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 07/05/2021 10:22

Can't you just disable the internet overnight - change the passcode or whatever?

SionnachRua · 07/05/2021 10:25

They sound like sensible friends tbh if they are encouraging him to move on from this girl. I'd be keen for him to keep them on if he hasn't got many irl friends.

Take away the modem or change the wifi password at night.

DW76 · 11/05/2021 16:36

I am sure someone more knowledgeable will come along but it is possible (on my) internet router to block internet access via the MAC address restrictions for the device between certain hours.

It should not be hard as long as you can access the router. Every device has its own MAC address which is fixed. You could block his phone, PC, whatever and only on certain days of the week if you so wish.

PinotPony · 11/05/2021 21:40

He's been an utter shit today. Backchatting and shouting at me. I just unplugged the pc and locked it in my car boot with his phone! Problem solved! 😂

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