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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Should I be stricter with dd and screen time/bedtime?

3 replies

bendmeoverbackwards · 18/07/2021 11:01

Had a lot of on going struggles with getting dd to go to bed earlier. She is 14.5, just finished Year 9.

She is ASD and consequently has some anxiety, needs routines etc.

We have parental controls on her phone and laptop. Up till last year it was turning off at 10pm, she wanted later and in recent months it turns off at 11pm. I know it’s late but she’s a night owl and as well as watching Netflix etc she sometimes does homework late.

However after it switches off she finds it hard to get off her bed, shower and get ready. We can often hear her showering at midnight or later. She is usually fine for school the next day and catches up on sleep at weekends like many teens.

We have friends with a dd who is 6 months older who goes to bed willingly at 10pm! I’m now wondering if we should be stricter. But even if we put the screen time back to 10pm, firstly it would make her anxious as less time to do things, and secondly I don’t think she’d get to bed any earlier.

If she was neurotypical I would handle this differently but I have to consider her autism in this.

Plus at getting on for 15, do parents start to drop screen restrictions and bedtimes?

OP posts:
alexvalentine · 18/07/2021 15:35

@bendmeoverbackwards

Had a lot of on going struggles with getting dd to go to bed earlier. She is 14.5, just finished Year 9.

She is ASD and consequently has some anxiety, needs routines etc.

We have parental controls on her phone and laptop. Up till last year it was turning off at 10pm, she wanted later and in recent months it turns off at 11pm. I know it’s late but she’s a night owl and as well as watching Netflix etc she sometimes does homework late.

However after it switches off she finds it hard to get off her bed, shower and get ready. We can often hear her showering at midnight or later. She is usually fine for school the next day and catches up on sleep at weekends like many teens.

We have friends with a dd who is 6 months older who goes to bed willingly at 10pm! I’m now wondering if we should be stricter. But even if we put the screen time back to 10pm, firstly it would make her anxious as less time to do things, and secondly I don’t think she’d get to bed any earlier.

If she was neurotypical I would handle this differently but I have to consider her autism in this.

Plus at getting on for 15, do parents start to drop screen restrictions and bedtimes?

I think she's probably getting old enough to work it out herself, and if making the screen time earlier won't help her sleep there isn't much point, especially if it'll increase anxiety
newnortherner111 · 19/07/2021 16:37

I think you should be. Not necessarily for her but for those your DD is in contact with, both virtually and in person the following day.

bendmeoverbackwards · 19/07/2021 21:55

What do you mean @newnortherner111?

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