If your kids have electronics in their rooms, how do you handle it?

[funschooler5]

DD14 and DS11 both have laptops that they use for schoolwork and also games and internet. DD14 also has a cell phone, mainly because we no longer have a landline phone and when she babysits her brother and sister, we need to be able to contact her. She does have games she plays on her phone, too.

 

My question is, how do you monitor electronics use at your house? I'm finding it difficult to do this when the electronics are in their rooms. I want to have some new rules in place for when we start up schooling again after the new year. Both of the kids would play their laptops all day long if I let them. :glare:

 

I did have a way to shut off their internet when they were doing schoolwork, but then that limited them doing research for reports, etc (plus, it was a pain to turn back on again when they were finished). DD14 was having issues with cell phone use at night, so I've been just having her "turn in" her phone to me before she goes to bed.

 

I'd just like to hear how other people handle it...do you have time limitations? Only on weekends? Thanks!

[swellmomma]

Electronics are not kept in rooms at night. All charging is done in the kitchen or livingroom, so Ds13 turns in his Ipod, dd12 her DSi, when DS8's DSi still worked he did the same. No laptops in my house thus far so that is not a worry. 1 computer is in my room, other in my office attached to my room. Only 1 tv in the livingroom. They do not have cell phones yet.

 

IF they had all of those other things I think I would still have them turn them over to me each night and I would have it all set at a charging station. As for time limits, my main limits are not during school time and not at bedtime. If I let them take them in their rooms they stay up all night playing with them (which is why we now have the rule of turning them over to me), and they need their sleep. So I am a meanie and have a strict no electronics in bedrooms past bedtime rule.

[regentrude]

Mine have laptops, cell phones and ipods and no limitations - as long as they use their electronics responsibly, i.e. do school during school hours and don't stay up too late.

If schoolwork does not get done because they are wasting time on the computer, they have to work at the kitchen table within my view and lose the privilege to work in their rooms.

If they stay up late at night (and you don't need a computer to do that, it could be reading), they will be tired the next morning and school will still start at 8am - they will learn their lesson and go to bed earlier the next day without me imposing extra consequences.

We have a monitoring program for internet access.

We have had very little issues, mainly because they know that they can have the freedom they have as long as they do their work and use their electronics responsibly. Both listen to their iPods while falling asleep.

[Tap]

Sorry, but I really haven't had to monitor it. Our kids have always had virtually unlimited access because it hasn't been a problem. I think it is just a personality thing. I know families who have to strictly regulate their kids access, so I know some do need tighter controls.

 

DS17 has had a computer/laptop, phone, tv, game cube, Wii, and various other electronics since he was 7yo. I don't have to monitor them at all as he self regulates with stricter rules than I would enforce.

 

DD13 has a laptop, iTouch, tv, Game Cube and other electronics since she was little also. The only thing I ask of her, is that she turn them off about 30 minutes before she goes to sleep. She is allowed to sleep with music on. She will go months without watching her tv or playing games in her room.

 

DD5 has a tv...I ask that it not be turned on within 30 minutes of sleep for her too. She watches maybe 30 minutes every few weeks, so it really isn't a problem.

 

We actually have a pile of electronics that the kids have taken out of their rooms because they don't use them. lol Various ipods, computers, tvs, gaming systems etc.

[Cricket]

The kids can use the computer for school during the week. They can only watch TV and play video games on the weekend. As of Christmas, our boys have an XBox in their room. We will see how it goes! Weekend rule still applies! We have a really small house though so it is easy to keep tabs on what they are doing.

[Cassy]

We don't allow DSs or Wii during the week, only on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Other video games on computers or i-pods are limited to evenings after schoolwork is done, as is watching rubbish on youtube. Both DS10 and DS12 have laptops and i-pods in their rooms, and neither of them have ever broken the 'rules' as to what is allowed at certain times. If they did break these rules, then I'd probably remove their laptops/i-pods; I've never threatened this, but I think they know me, and know that the consequences would be devastating :D.

 

Cassy

[Unicorn.]

I got K-9 web protection for the school laptop, and blocked sites like Facebook, youtube, addicting games, etc. Just block what you don't want them accessing, and you can unblock it for up to an hour after schoolwork is done. You can allow specific sites, block specific sites, or block categories. Really easy to use, and Free!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

No using laptops except in public areas (living room, dining room). They do not go to bedrooms or the basement. This was learned the hard way, involving almost a week of lost school time to You Tube clips.

 

Phones are for use when we're out. Then they go from the charging dock to a pocket.

 

However, we do have a land line. If it needed to be available in the evening when we were out, then I'd collect it when we came home.

 

And from time to time I've confiscated iPods and DS consoles too.

[funschooler5]

I guess my main problem is that they *always* have electronics on their minds. Both of them love to read, but if they have the choice between playing their games or reading, the computers will win every time. (Especially with DS11, who will do his schoolwork and ask if he can play his game right away...it's *always* on his mind.) I'm actually glad when they get grounded from their electronics, because for a few weeks there is no whining about wanting to play (because they know they can't until their grounding is up) and they end up doing a lot of writing, reading, and imaginative games.

 

I'm just trying to find a balance. I've tried being very strict about game time (1/2 hr a night, or weekends only) and having no restrictions at all (which is kind of where we are now). Both of these strategies have just resulted in them wanting to play more.

[elegantlion]

Same here. Just have not had any issues.

 

Mostly the same for us as well. Ds's interests are computer related, video editing, animation, stuff like that. We are a pretty techy family, so it's just part of our family culture.

 

He has a TV too, but it's unplugged by his choice. We don't limit time, but he has self-regulates.

[Amy1k]

Mine have laptops, cell phones and ipods and no limitations - as long as they use their electronics responsibly, i.e. do school during school hours and don't stay up too late.

If schoolwork does not get done because they are wasting time on the computer, they have to work at the kitchen table within my view and lose the privilege to work in their rooms.

If they stay up late at night (and you don't need a computer to do that, it could be reading), they will be tired the next morning and school will still start at 8am - they will learn their lesson and go to bed earlier the next day without me imposing extra consequences.

We have a monitoring program for internet access.

We have had very little issues, mainly because they know that they can have the freedom they have as long as they do their work and use their electronics responsibly. Both listen to their iPods while falling asleep.

 

This. Only mine happen to not have laptops. :)

[Amy1k]

My boys have an xBox in their room and a television and my daughter has a television. The boys mostly watch ESPN and turn it off when told to and my daughter asks permission before watching stuff. They turn stuff off at bedtime if it is on.

[jhschool]

We have 1 laptop that DS and I share, but he

can use it whenever he needs it--he usually looks

up stuff for math which he loves. He never needs

to be supervised because he knows we expect him

to use it only for educational purposes (unless we

are all watching something on it together).

He has his cell phone in his room but he hardly

ever uses it.

He owns an ipod touch but we don't do video games

any more (he used to be allowed about 1 hour a day

up until two years ago--then I decided video games were

a waste of time so he doesn't). He hardly uses it at all.

(I don't know where it is right now.)

So we don't really have any restrictions but that is

because he wouldn't use any of these for entertainment.

None of his homeschooling friends use cell phones so

he doesn't need to. He gets texts from his grandpa and

email from his grandma. He does check his email every

day.

I guess it's not an issue in our house to limit the electronics.

[DawnM]

Mine are like this. They don't watch TV much at all and don't care to, but the video games can be like a moth to a flame......

 

We have had to implement some rules. No electronics until 5pm, unless school is not finished and then you don't get electronics until it is all finished. Bad attitudes about this policy result in losing all electronics fro the day.

 

One hour per kid on the computer per day. Now, that sometimes gets fudged into a little more than that, but we try to stick to it.

 

They do have DSs, an iPad and an iPod touch (well, the iPad and iPod are mine, but they play on them too.) They can have some time on those too as I don't have them all fighting for them like I do the computer.

 

They do not have their own laptops and I don't foresee us getting them anytime soon.

 

Dawn

 

I guess my main problem is that they *always* have electronics on their minds. Both of them love to read, but if they have the choice between playing their games or reading, the computers will win every time. (Especially with DS11, who will do his schoolwork and ask if he can play his game right away...it's *always* on his mind.) I'm actually glad when they get grounded from their electronics, because for a few weeks there is no whining about wanting to play (because they know they can't until their grounding is up) and they end up doing a lot of writing, reading, and imaginative games.

 

I'm just trying to find a balance. I've tried being very strict about game time (1/2 hr a night, or weekends only) and having no restrictions at all (which is kind of where we are now). Both of these strategies have just resulted in them wanting to play more.