Teach your children well.


Not sure I agree on the doom and gloom tone of the op but it is probably the number one thing I'm concerned about as a parent of young kids.

Telly I can live with but phones are a worry. It's going to be difficult to impose limits for his own good, while not wanting him to feel ostracised.
I think it’s a very reasonable post. Our son is fast approaching 3 and thankfully isn’t too bothered about tele etc. His favourite pastime when we ask him what he wants to do is to go and see the chickens (we live near some allotments so get the dog on the lead and walk over). I was never arsed about video games and stuff growing up either, so guess it maybe helps I’m from a certain generation whereby we experienced life before mainstream internet etc but also recognise its part of every day life now. It’s a tough balancing act.
See mine loves the tele and we do have an issue getting it off sometimes. But I do think if he's been at nursery all day or out and about, some time zoning out on the sofa is good for him. After all it's what we all do?

The gaming and phone stuff is totally different. I grew up with video games and would like to play together but not sure that's sustainable either with the online aspect these days
 
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Not sure I agree on the doom and gloom tone of the op but it is probably the number one thing I'm concerned about as a parent of young kids.

Telly I can live with but phones are a worry. It's going to be difficult to impose limits for his own good, while not wanting him to feel ostracised.

See mine loves the tele and we do have an issue getting it off sometimes. But I do think if he's been at nursery all day or out and about, some time zoning out on the sofa is good for him. After all it's what we all do?

The gaming and phone stuff is totally different. I grew up with video games and would like to play together but not sure that's sustainable either with the online aspect these days

Family link is fantastic on google. You can link the kids phones and cut them off at any time, block apps and set limits etc
 
Family link is fantastic on google. You can link the kids phones and cut them off at any time, block apps and set limits etc
Sounds good. Probably wishful thinking but I am hoping it doesn't come to restricting them by turning stuff off every time. Can imagine it creates arguments and just makes them want it more in a way
 
Sounds good. Probably wishful thinking but I am hoping it doesn't come to restricting them by turning stuff off every time. Can imagine it creates arguments and just makes them want it more in a way

They become obsessed and just stare at their phones for hours on end in our house. The other option is to hide their phones away but then these days they might need them for homework etc. Its a tough balancing act.
 
The first seven years of a child's life will shape them forever, so a little adversity will help. I'd not let a child have video games or a mobile phone before the age of seven. The thought of a developing child spending 30 hours a week playing X box is pretty alarming, add to that a device that saves you physically interacting with your peers and you're on a slippery slope.
Mine is older than seven and he's into his gaming now. Still nowhere near 30 hours a week though. His mates have only just now started getting consoles. You'd be hard pushed to find a kid under seven racking up 30 hours a week sat on an Xbox or PlayStation. They haven't got the dexterity or attention span for it.

Noticed you didn't mention kids being sat in front of the TV. Is it because that's been around longer?
 
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Mine is older than seven and he's into his gaming now. Still nowhere near 30 hours a week though. His mates have only just now started getting consoles. You'd be hard pushed to find a kid under seven racking up 30 hours a week sat on an Xbox or PlayStation. They haven't got the dexterity or attention span for it.

Noticed you didn't mention kids being sat in front of the TV. Is it because that's been around longer?
I can only comment on the kids I know, so not an exact science. My sister-in-laws kids (9 and 7 at the time) might be an exception, but on the second day of their Disneyland holiday they both got the hump and asked if they could go home early because they missed their video games...just to add they took game boy thingy's with them. I firmly believe the rise in autism is somewhat down to inherited information from parents who have been exposed to mental and visual overload, and I'd back that up with a comparison of city v rural kids behaviour.
 
I'd not let a child have video games or a mobile phone before the age of seven.

Mini-K loves her phonics and reading apps. Reading Eggs is a great way for her to interact and learn phonics while out of school.

I'd agree with the phone although frankly if you think 8 is old enough for a mobile phone that says a lot about you.
They don't NEED a mobile phone until realistically secondary/high school
 
Mini-K loves her phonics and reading apps. Reading Eggs is a great way for her to interact and learn phonics while out of school.

I'd agree with the phone although frankly if you think 8 is old enough for a mobile phone that says a lot about you.
They don't NEED a mobile phone until realistically secondary/high school

Tbf if they are out playing whilst in later years of junior school is there any harm in them having a phone so if they need to contact you or vice versa or you can track where they are?
 
Mini-K loves her phonics and reading apps. Reading Eggs is a great way for her to interact and learn phonics while out of school.

I'd agree with the phone although frankly if you think 8 is old enough for a mobile phone that says a lot about you.
Where did I say that? I was talking about the most important learning years, plus I don't have young kids so have no idea what age they get phones.

If you think you've got me sussed through either a twisted narrative of something I never said, then the room is yours.
 
na the jobs fucked like. And not by people, but by the very governments and organizations who are urging us all to take responsibility.

the last words of 'don't look up' always seem appropriate in these conversations..

We really did have everything, didn't we?
 
I'll admit I'm a judgy prick, but kids on tablets in restaurants really pisses me off. How are they not able to survive an hour without needing a surrogate childminder? You chose to have the little bastards, engage with them.

My daughter's 7 and has a tablet (very restricted use and only ever once she's used it for maths homework, it never leaves the house other than when we're on a flight) so I'm not denying they have their place but if you can't entertain your kid for 20 minutes or so before the food turns up you've got to question why they had kids. If you know they're likely to act up don't go out - teach them actions have consequences
 
I'll admit I'm a judgy prick, but kids on tablets in restaurants really pisses me off. How are they not able to survive an hour without needing a surrogate childminder? You chose to have the little bastards, engage with them.

My daughter's 7 and has a tablet (very restricted use and only ever once she's used it for maths homework, it never leaves the house other than when we're on a flight) so I'm not denying they have their place but if you can't entertain your kid for 20 minutes or so before the food turns up you've got to question why they had kids. If you know they're likely to act up don't go out - teach them actions have consequences

Personally I'd have better things to do in restaurants than looking around at folk tutting tbh but each to there own
 
My youngest played xbox before she was seven, and still enjoys playing games with her mates now.

She also does swimming, tennis, karate, and guitar leasons regular. So I guess she turned out ok.
 
My son was around 12 before he got a phone. We'd play PlayStation stuff but that's more detached than phone life . I don't think there's a link between hardship building to resilience and well rounded adults
Plenty kids with tough upbringings go off to be rogues. He got his outdoor fix through me reliving my childhood with him
 

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