School-Aged Children
Screen time questions
We are having some Nintendo DS and screen time in general. I am wondering what others do and if we are being too strict.
1. Does your child have a DS or Wii or a personal computer?
2. How do you limit screen time and how much screen time does your SA kid have?
3. Is your child allowed to bring their DS or other electronics to school?
4. Have you had any problems with "keeping up with the Jones"?
Thanks!
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Re: Screen time questions
1. No video games (although he might get one for Christmas), does play games on my laptop.
2. I don't really limit it, at this point, most of the games he plays are "educational". If you count TV, though, he watches too much - it regulates itself to some degree when we get busier though.
3. No - he's only 5. I can't imagine that being allowed at all - esp. in elementary schoo.
4. Not yet. But he's only 5. In fact, when DH asks if he wants a Wii, he says no - I can play it at Auntie Mary's (a friend of ours).
I wish my kids said this! The first time my 7 y/o played the Wii he came home wanting it. My 5 y/o is totally into video games but I think it is only because his brother is.
I should answer my own ??
1. We have a Wii and they have DS but they only have limited computer access.
2. No DS/Wii on school days. My DH is more strict on weekends than I am but we tend to also be buys as well.
3. There are a ton of boys on the bus who have free access to their DS which is why my 7 y/o is being sneaky and carrying around his in his backpack. Now we have to backpack check before school.
4. We are starting to have this. Logan told Grammy last night that one of his friends is "rich" and his reasoning was because they have a big house, two computers, and his friend has his own laptop. Grrr... most of his friends have more than we do but I'm not ready for this conversation.
We are having some Nintendo DS and screen time in general. I am wondering what others do and if we are being too strict.
1. Does your child have a DS or Wii or a personal computer? My children each have a DS and a personal computer
2. How do you limit screen time and how much screen time does your SA kid have? During the week they are allowed to play with it only after all homework, showers..etc is completed, which usually is only a short time(maybe 20 - 30 minutes) before bedtime. So it's their downtime activity. On weekends they have to do something educational first(practice multiplication tables, read a book..etc) then I will allow them limited time on the computer.
3. Is your child allowed to bring their DS or other electronics to school? No, never!
4. Have you had any problems with "keeping up with the Jones"? No, my kids actually received their DS's probably a year or more after all of their friends did. We buy them items according to when we think they are ready for them, not according to when everyone else is buying them.
2. How do you limit screen time and how much screen time does your SA kid have? My rule is no playstation during the week but I bend the rules if homework and chores are done. I limit it to an hour a day if he plays during the week and the weekends 2 hours. He is in a ton of sports and always out playing so when he plays, it's really downtime for him and he has fun when he has friends over.
3. Is your child allowed to bring their DS or other electronics to school? 2 years ago, he did take his ds to school which I was iffy about but really, everything was fine. He never took it out when he wasn't supposed to. He just takes his phone now (he's 11 and in 6th grade).
4. Have you had any problems with "keeping up with the Jones"? I have no problems responding to my child that we are happy that the Jones have _________ so he can go over and play there when invited. Otherwise, we tell him that if he wants something, he will need to add it to his Christmas or birthday list or save up for it himself.
Great question! Sorry I'm late to the party.
We definitely have issues surrounding screen time in our home. My DS is a video-game nut, and we have to work hard to keep gaming from dominating all his playtime. Here's what we do:
We hardly watch TV at all. Kids can request to watch a video or DVD, but this is pretty rare.
We have a PS2 and a Wii. Kids can play console video games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons, if all chores and family obligations are met. Usually this means they play on Friday from around 4pm until 6, then for about 3 hours each of the other weekend days. They have to either play a game together or take turns.
Both kids have a DS and can play computer games on our living room computer, but they don't spend a ton of time on this.
My DD has been allowed to take her DS to school 2 or 3 times last year when we had a ton of snow and she knew there would be indoor recess. Generally, though, no electronics at school.
I have fielded the "My BFF has her own computer, why don't I have my own computer?" question. I just said "When your schoolwork gets to the point that you need a computer in your room, we'll think about it. Meanwhile, you can keep using the family computer." She was fine with this answer. She wants an iPod Touch, but I'm not okay with my 10 year old having wi-fi access all the time, so we're holding off on this purchase for a while. Again, she knows a few kids at school who have the iPod Touch. We're going to get her either an iPod shuffle or nano for Christmas, though.