Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Teenagers

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

Computer obsessions

2 replies

MrsSnape · 23/04/2008 18:52

My sister is coming up to 14 and spends every spare minute she has on her laptop. She gets home at 3.30pm and stays on the laptop (not studying or chatting, just watching logos and old adverts over and over again) until 10pm at night...EVERY NIGHT. She has no hobbies, interests or out of school activities so the laptop litrally is her life.

Weekends she won't get out of bed, won't get dressed, stays in her bedroom with the curtains shut in her pyjamas ALL DAY watching videos and looking for cartoon network etc ALL WEEKEND...this could be from 10am saturday morning until 10pm sunday night only coming downstairs for toilet and food...no washing or change of clothes or anything.

My mum goes on about it but refuses to limit her time on it. I told her she should only be on it for an hour a day, 2 hours a day if she's feeling generous but she just changes the subject. I know its none of my business but it annoys me so much.

Am I being unrealistic saying that a near 14 year olds PC time should be limited?

My sister is also good at telling porkies and taking advantage of my mums trusting nature...my mum told me today "oh bless her, she was studying from 5pm until 8pm last night on that laptop. I know for a fact she was playing on a kids website from 5pm until 6pm because my son was talking to her whilst they played through msn! and when he went on quickly at 8pm to check his email she showed him a video she'd been making from 6pm until 8pm!

Should I just stay out of it? hard as it is.

OP posts:
MrsSnape · 23/04/2008 18:53

Just to add, only reason I want to say something is because my mum is constantly complaining that my sister is lazy and spends all her time on the laptop yet refuses to stop her!

OP posts:
Cosette · 23/04/2008 19:06

No you're right - she's spending far too much time on the PC. I know it's a bit of a constant battle at this age. My DD1 is 12 and spends a good hour to 90 mins during the week, but only after having done homework etc.

It's a bit addictive I think - after all I spend too much time on MN and often do work emails or just browsing in the evening so I can see how hard it can be to decide to do something else. But your sister is missing out on other things which is a shame.

Not sure what you can do though - it's your mum's call I guess. Can you entice your sister away from the computer? What do her friends do at the weekend?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread