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How much computer time do you give your kids?


happycc
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The boys do TT on the computer. The girls play around on Starfall. and The boys are allowed on Spelling City. but only during school hours... I want them to learn how to use the computer but I get tired of four of them fighting over it so i really can't handle much computer time over required school activities.

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Mondays and Thursdays are "no electronics" days, meaning no computer and no DS, etc. Then the other weekdays it is 1 hour of computer time per day, but if it is something to do with homeschool, that doesn't count towards their time. On the weekends there is no time limit but we do try and encourage breaks or doing other things.

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I used to allow mine on after "school" time---but now that I have two on it I changed it to no computer until the weekend. 1 hour each (and maybe a bit more if they can play a game together without fighting). Time has a way of just slipping past on the computer or in front of the tv and there's way too much to do to allow it to get out of hand.

I admit that I enjoy Poptropica myself and it's fun to sit with my ds and play an island with him, though.Also I get pretty fussy if they are doing something mindless on the computer for too long (spongebob games:glare:) so I keep bookmarks of websites I approve and I'll tell them they need to pick something else, grumbles means it's turned off. No warnings. They fight, start playing tug of war with the mouse, or grumble when the time is up (they have enough warning to finish or save a game) then it's turned off immediately and they may lose tomorrow's chance to play.

 

During the week they can do educational websites when it ties into what we're doing. I always stay with them and interact during this computer time. My ds 4 does not do Starfall or PBS on his own, but with me. I don't like kids to have too much media time. And I don't like them left alone with it. It's in a central location so I can always be nearby and take an interest in what they are doing. It's taken a long time, but they are finally learning how to moderate their time on the computer. Before it was a "how fast can I do my lessons so I can get on the computer?" and various other crazymaking behavior.

 

It's basically becoming a non-issue now that they know that other things need to take priority before screen time. (Now I need to whip that Netflix into the same shape :glare:)

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My children are allowed one free hour of media a day, excluding Minecraft. They can only play Minecraft on the weekends. :smash: I got so sick of them on the computer playing it, talking about it, and discussing it with their friends that I grounded them from it for 10 days (I was not just being mean...there were some serious obedience and attitude issues surrounding it). The balance with the media had seriously gone out of whack.

 

Now they must have everything checked off of their daily sheets before they can play / watch anything. They can spend their hour any way that they want, (tv. or computer) but they must set a timer. Time watching a sibling play a game counts. What I found was happening was they would sit for an hour watching / coaching each other then switch seats and the other would watch / coach on a game. If that is how they are working the system, then the time is reduced to one hour COMBINED. They understand this rule and sometimes choose to spend it this way. Even so, they are learning limits, and I'm okay with the system for now.

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Mine have no computer time and they've never asked for it. We occasionally look up something together, but that's it.

 

They play the Wii twice a week for one hour.

 

A family movie happens once a week.

 

I'm finding myself less and less attracted to various "screens".

 

My 7yo would become OBSESSED with screens if I allowed it. He has a very addictive personality.

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During the week I usually allow only educational tv/computer time. Once they have completeted their lessons, they are allowed as much educational computer time as they want. DH and I butt heads on this issue, so they occassionally play minecraft, terraria or lego wii games with dad in the evening. I try to limit recreational electronics to Sunday after chores are done, but unforunately I don't always get my way. :glare:

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