[Technology] Screen time for kids - bending the rules

[Berty23]

I am hoping for some shared wisdom from other parents. My kids have phones and they are on my family account. Apple account. So until now I have always controlled their screen time from my phone. I say until now…

One of my kids has found a way to use more screen time than they are allowed. Today one of them used 2 hours on TikTok but it should be blocked after 1 hour and always has been until now.

She is also able to use her apps after 10pm which is when her screen time should go off.

I have no idea how they have got round it and wondered if there are tips from others on here.

At the moment she has been told that if she does not stop whatever she is doing then phone is gone and no more tv in room. I am just annoyed that she has figured out a way. Any tips appreciated.

My one idea is she might has somehow got hold of an old phone and is using that.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

And flush.

 

[zefarelly]

You should be outside with them doing skids on ice.

bad parenting.

 

[Springal]

Do they know your passcode ? Or is there another device they have access to , to approve extension of screen time ?

 

[Berty23]

Do they know your passcode ? Or is there another device they have access to , to approve extension of screen time ?

I am not sure. I have changed the screen time password so time will tell.

Could be a bit battle ahead.

 

[BadFish]

Go analogue and take the thing off her for breaking the rules.

Give it back when you decide she can be trusted.

There are always ways round the technology safeguards. We went more old school with our kids.

Well until the fight became too exhausting and unbearable. We held out for a while though, it's just a war of attrition.

 

[BadFish]

So you can still see on your phone that she went over the time? Surely that's enough?

 

[Eeyore]

This reminds me of the hilarious TV sitcom 'Outnumbered'

Dad says 'I need to put the parental controls on that computer'
Kid 'I can sort that out for you...'

 

[Anger]

Wouldn’t happen with an Omsung Phine on Android.

 

[Superphil]

Put them up for adoption, hey presto, no longer your problem.

Perhaps just the threat of adoption might do it.

Or threaten them with boarding school.

 

[dazzer6666]

Sounds like a good opportunity for a chat.

 

[beorhthelm]

how are they going to use more screen time if they aren't taking the screen to bed...

 

[METALMICKY]

Wouldn’t happen with an Omsung Phine on Android.

You may jest but that's my problem. My kids both have tablets but my daughter insisted on getting an Ipad whilst my son has a Samsung android tablet. Remote monitoring and setting security, time limits etc is a breeze using Google Family Link. Not so with the Ipad and even the process for me approving app downloads is a fiddle.

For the next birthday both will be getting phones and no doubt my daughter will battle to have an iPhone. Can anyone recommend an app that I can use on my android to monitor both his android and her iPhone?

 

[maffew]

Have you asked them? One of my kids I phones is definitely recently over reporting their screen time (eg coming up with 7 hours when their phone has definitely not been used, other than say 30 mins).

 

[Superphil]

Kids360 seems to have both iOS and android monitoring facilities.

 

[Bozza]

If they're on pre-iOS 17 (I think it was) they can request "one more minute" when their time runs out. I think it may be possible to keep on one-more-minute-ing pretty much indefinitely. Apple addressed this in recent iOS updates.

I think another workaround was to uninstall an app and then re-install it. When the app was removed, the screentime limits go with it, so they're not present when the app is subsequently re-installed.

A more straight forward workaround, if you've not put restrictions in place, is to use web versions of apps if they hit an app limit. You can remedy this with screentime limits on browser activity.

 

[Curious Orange]

I've heard that kids are getting around time restrictions by changing the time zone of the phone.

With Android they can opt out of parental control altogether when they turn 13...

 

[jackanada]

As well as an screen time being controlled from my phone I have put in an extra barrier by restricting all devices access to the internet via the router.
This seems to have worked so far though my previous lower tech solution of unplugging the router, putting the tablet in the shed and keeping the TV power lead under my pillow is also pretty effective.

 

[Cotton Socks]

Simplest advice I can give you is take the phone away physically at 10pm. Or change the wifi password at 10pm every night & only allow them a certain amount of data on their phone. Yes it's a big load of messing around but after 2 weeks of having to play by the rules or left with no data at all, then in my experience they make the right choice. No bad thing just making them turn their phone off & handing it over at 10pm anyway (unless they're 17 & you may get a few arguments). They can just switch off from the world, blame you for everything they haven't missed out on, you will be the worst parent ever!!!! But, when they don't want to engage online they know that they can just say you took their phone away & none of their friends will bat an eyelid if you've done it before. If they know you can see it but are still taking the mickey then taking phone at 10pm is so much simpler than messing around with apps.

 

[Weststander]

A different approach, but helps with the evening cut off aspect.

Until our kids had done their GCSE’s I physically took all internet compatible devices from them Sunday to Thursday evenings, an hour before advised sleeptimes for their ages. Giving them a key rest from blue light and the endless stimuli of the internet. They could join us, have a supper and read. They definitely read more as a result.

They weren’t tired at school. But mentioned lads who were falling asleep in class from gaming half the night. From age 10!