Could you please keep your kids off the screens when family is visiting?

[Anonymous]

Were you invited, or did you invite yourself?

If you were invited, we'll devote Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to Family Time Togetherness. After that, we're going to be relaxing. Enjoy down time along with us, or feel free to suggest an activity.

If you invited yourself, ask yourself why we should relax and enjoy our break in any different way just because you wanted to come to DC for a few days instead of spending your holiday break in suburban Ohio. You're welcome to stay, but don't expect the red carpet treatment when you weren't invited in the first place.

[Anonymous]

I tend not to care OP. If they don't want to interact, or are too hyper.to effectively interact without a screen in front of them, it's not worth much of my time and energy to bother being around them.

[Anonymous]

It seems like the DCUM crowd has had a little too much family time.

[Anonymous]

My cousins and I played together, and we also enjoyed down time and screen time together. I have great memories of Dr. Mario marathons.

Are you sure you aren't just policing what you think their fun should be?

RELAX. It is AFTER the holidays. We've had enough family chats and formal meals. It's time to freaking chill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like the DCUM crowd has had a little too much family time.

100%. We've had church, big family dinners, plenty of chatting, plenty of hosting, plenty of being "on." It is down time, people!

[Anonymous]

I hear you OP. I've only seen the top of my nephew's head for years. The first thing he said when he arrived was "what's the wifi password?" He's 9. It's annoying.

I'm surprised by everyone saying it's ok. The kid is 7. There should be a hundred better things to do at that age.

[Anonymous]

We got here yesterday, we are leaving tomorrow (thank god). Seriously don’t invite us and make a big appeal for us to come and then pull this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hear you OP. I've only seen the top of my nephew's head for years. The first thing he said when he arrived was "what's the wifi password?" He's 9. It's annoying.

I'm surprised by everyone saying it's ok. The kid is 7. There should be a hundred better things to do at that age.

It's not OK to have that be the first question, no. And some family time is absolutely expected.

But after Christmas Eve service, chili dinner; Christmas morning and formal Christmas dinner (or however your family "formally" marks the days)...like, enough. Kids are off school and need down time. A few unstructured days of relaxed rules is entirely fine.

Don't be That Adult.

Be awesome like my mom. She takes my newphews to Avengers movies and has developed a genuine interest in Dragonvale. She gets in there with them. She wants to know what they like and what they consider to be fun. She falls in. As a result, she's the special Grandma that they invite to their school, call when they get their phones, text all the time, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just drove 7 hours to see you so our kids could play together. Would it kill you to tell your children to put down their iPads and play with their cousins? Thanks.

The kids are not going to treat your kids like long lost besties if you only see them once a year due to the 7 hour drive. Don’t act like you did the other family a favor by bringing your kids to their house. And the younger the kids, the more significant an age gap is... your 5 yo might be too young for the 7 yo to even give the time of day if they met at a playground.

Not to mention one of them is likely brewing with the stomach bug or flu and all the more likely to spread it the more toys they share.

[Anonymous]

Would you be okay if your kids were on the iPads with their cousins, or is part of the issue a difference in parenting styles?

[Anonymous]

It’s family...why don’t YOU say something, OP?

“Hey, kids! Let’s play UNO!”

“Hey, kids! Let’s go for a walk!”

If you care so much, get involved, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s family...why don’t YOU say something, OP?

“Hey, kids! Let’s play UNO!”

“Hey, kids! Let’s go for a walk!”

If you care so much, get involved, OP.

Exactly! If you would rather do activities or conversation than screen time, what are YOU doing to get the ball rolling? Sitting in your chair sniffing at them isn't a great strategy. Offering to take a few kids out to a playground and a movie after is more like it.

[Anonymous]

Sticking kids in front of iPads is not a style. It's lazy and rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s family...why don’t YOU say something, OP?

“Hey, kids! Let’s play UNO!”

“Hey, kids! Let’s go for a walk!”

If you care so much, get involved, OP.

I asked my nephew if he wanted to play sorry or memory. Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s family...why don’t YOU say something, OP?

“Hey, kids! Let’s play UNO!”

“Hey, kids! Let’s go for a walk!”

If you care so much, get involved, OP.

I asked my nephew if he wanted to play sorry or memory. Nope.

Probably because he can tell that you are more interested in Kids Doing What They Are Supposed to Do and Family Behaving Like Family than spending time with real, actual him.

When my nephew has his nose in the iPad, I ask him if he can show me his favorite SNL cilps. Then, we're watching and laughing together. Then, we're talking together. Later, because we have a real actual connection, he'll go on a walk around the lake with me, or he'll come to the grocery store with me (well...also because he knows I'll buy him gum).