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Teenagers

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

Gaming/screen time

3 replies

Muppet10 · 13/03/2026 09:50

How strict are you/what are your rules around this? My son is 13 and would sit in front of a screen all day if I let him.

OP posts:
isthatmytrainleaving · 13/03/2026 10:19

Probably more than was advised however the rules were homework started after school, we actually had a homework time slot. It had to be done to a high standard so no just pissing it off. They could then game until 30 minutes before dinner. Then help with dinner prep that might just be setting the table and warming the plates through or actually assisting in chopping, getting stuff from the fridge. Chatting in the kitchen or singing to music.

Family dinner, no phones at the table. Talking, actually engaging in conversation (this was never an issue in this house as they had always had this family dinner) everyone clears the table, the children wipe it down and dry it. Everyone is in the kitchen to clean up because we felt it was important from a young age for children to understand what goes into their meals, all the effort, the meal planning, the shopping list, the actual shopping, making food, cleaning it all up.

We then watched a 30 minute tv show together, something to talk about and stay connected to them then they could go off and game until a certain time. Then chill, get ready for bed. If there were any complaints about coming off they lost tech the next day. More complaints, you lose it for longer. This also meant Dh and I got time together every evening too.

They also did a sport one night a week and we did card games, board games on another evening and at the weekend for a couple of hours. We made them come with us for some things but other times left them home, again any complaints, no tech. This was a negotiation, talking to them not at them. Them understanding that we like spending time with them. It is all about balancing out tech with other things but it was how they talked to their mates, over headsets so that is understandable.

Dh and I also grew up with gaming and played together before our children were born. This might all sound a bit wanky but they are now young adult men who still watch tv shows with us and still have family meals. They need to understand the importance of education and keeping doors open so they get choices over things like jobs.

Muppet10 · 14/03/2026 10:08

Thank you, it’s good to know what other people do. We have started saying no to gaming after school until homework is done, and before clubs as otherwise my son just gets absorbed by it and we have a battle to get him off the game. So this will hopefully stop so many arguments around it.

OP posts:
goodnightssleepbenice · 14/03/2026 11:53

My ds12 would stay on too all day if I let him , but I make him come for dog walks , swimming . So much easier in the summer thou with the weather being nicer

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