this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2023
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My eldest is 5, and for the most part (tonight aside) she's pretty good at going to sleep. All of her cousins who are younger have a small TV in their room, or are allowed a tablet whilst going to bed.

I personally think she's too young. I was 10-11 when I first got a TV in my room, and that was restricted to 4 channels that really didn't have much to engage an 11 year old at 8pm.

So yeah. Thoughts?

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[–] burrito@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago

I will never allow a TV in my kids' rooms. They can use tablets, which have time limits, app restrictions, and automatic lock times 2 hours before bed. It's still a bit of a struggle to keep limits but I think it provides a good balance.

[–] detalferous@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago
[–] waz 4 points 1 year ago

I just realised, that at 19 and gone to Uni and 16, just gone to 6-form, neither of my kids have TVs. They both had computers from secondary school for schoolwork, the eldest (basically Lisa Simpson) self regulated to minimal YouTube and Netflix type viewing, at reasonable times and the younger one who had to have proper boundaries handed down to stop late night gaming and streaming marathons. Microsoft parental controls on PC are absolutely worthless by the way. Apple time limits work perfectly on iOS and macOS.

[–] revs 3 points 1 year ago

Never. There’s also no TV in any other bedroom, or the kitchen.

I know I can’t stop a tablet or whatever at some point in the future.

[–] Elkenders 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Secondary school? When she starts wanting more privacy essentially but it's not a hard rule. Only just thinking about it. My daughter is 4. We read a couple of books together in the bedtime routine.

[–] Emperor 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not a dad but:

I was 10-11 when I first got a TV in my room, and that was restricted to 4 channels that really didn’t have much to engage an 11 year old at 8pm.

I've never had a telly in my bedroom. Granted we didn't get one until I was 6 or 7 (and was instantly hooked) but my folks weren't anti-TV (when my brother moved to the attic he got one) I just entertained myself in the bedroom by reading and playing with my toys, so why stop now? I have the plumbing to install one in my bedroom now I'm a proper grown-up but I don't see the need. I quite like having a place for sleeping and getting dressed, not some confusing multifunctional space. I go.to.bed, read and fall asleep, then I wake up, get out of bed, get dressed and start the day. I wonder if there's a Pavlov thing at work - as I don't lie in bed watching telly, my body knows it's time to sleep when I get in there. My main problem is staying awake long enough to get some reading in.

My brother had a fight with his kids and screens. I think they have in on tablets when they were 6-9ish just to give them something to do in the car and now my nephew is going to secondary school he has a mobile phone. He has at least three games systems in his room but I don't think either he or his younger sister have a TV in their rooms. There's one and it's in the living room.

[–] jabjoe 0 points 1 year ago

I'd say 16/18 when they are basically young adults.

[–] Flax_vert 0 points 1 year ago

Giving a 5 year old a tablet is an absolutely horrible idea