Tweens on their devices at parties, play dates, sleepovers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Social media is toxic.

Do not let your kids have social. At all.

Is Pinterest also toxic? My tween is asking me for it. I’ve banned instagram, TikTok and Snapchat of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Got this note before a beach house sleep over and thought it was a great way to handle - A few house rules if you can encourage them to follow — They can bring screens but I’d prefer that they use devices only if necessary to stay in touch with you guys. Mainly want them to be splashing, gabbing, giggling and snacking.

I think this is sweet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve noticed a growing trend around my daughter’s friends that they are bringing their phones and devices even to birthday parties, play dates/hangouts, and sleepovers. Your kids are zombies. You’ve robbed them of their childhoods. They are only 11-12 and already total zombies. Why would you send your kid with a LAPTOP and an iPhone to a sleepover?

Kids like to show off their screens and have everyone huddle around them.
how cool!

And DCUM likes to make fun of the sports families. Jokes on them for sure. Out there practicing 4 times and week and not on screens. Or doing sleep unders bc they have a morning game. Boy are they missing out of screen life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love that my teen's high school banned cell phones except at lunch thanks to Youngkin. At Back to School Night all the teachers commented on how much better things are. The teens are more interactive with eachother and respectful.

Needs to be banned at lunch.

Stop the madness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a watch phone that can only text or call numbers that we preprogram/allow. I wouldn’t send her to a sleepover without that so she can call me in an emergency, but no way would I send her to a play date, birthday party, etc., with any device beyond that.

My 10yo daughter had a birthday party at a trampoline place, and her friend at least handed me the phone to keep safe while she played, but asked for it back when it was pizza time and didn’t look or talk to another kid during that time. She just ate and scrolled. She didn’t even sing “Happy Birthday.”

Yuck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman doesn't know anyone in his lunch period and unfortunately most kids are on their phones then and not really meeting new people.

Yeah…

I don’t think they should be allowed at lunch either. They should be totally
Put away/off from morning bell until dismissal. Lunch should be to eat and socialize in person. Not stare at phone watching stupid YouTube shorts

Agree.

Too distracting before, during and after lunch. And again, zero social skills or interaction if a school is allowing devices during lunch period.

Kids are worried about their texts and what to write back all last class.

And don’t get me started on the. Unver if girls who text their Mommy’s all day long like neither can make a damn decision about truly petty stuff or what to do or where to go or what to buy, when.

Grow up parents. Leave your kid alone to focus at school. Text them changes or new info only at 3:30. And don’t be their damn secretary, they need to learn how to set reminders and do stuff on their own. Mommy isn’t going to call you every day at 3pm and tell you what to do. Figure it out yourself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A phone for a sleepover, party or play date? Sure, of course. There is a reason: communication with a parent if needed.

Anything else—an iPad, laptop, Kindle, whatever, absolutely not. The kids should be talking, playing engaging. Heck, they could even be gaming on the same device. My friends and I used to have a blast playing Super Nintendo together or whatever. (Yes, I’m old.) But even that is “social screens,” not ignoring each other.

Such a needy, immature cohort of kids.

Need their moms on 24/7 support calls.

Gawd I hope they’re not like this with their sons too. Don’t want my daughters marrying that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve noticed a growing trend around my daughter’s friends that they are bringing their phones and devices even to birthday parties, play dates/hangouts, and sleepovers. Your kids are zombies. You’ve robbed them of their childhoods. They are only 11-12 and already total zombies. Why would you send your kid with a LAPTOP and an iPhone to a sleepover?

The irony of posting this here is palpable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love that my teen's high school banned cell phones except at lunch thanks to Youngkin. At Back to School Night all the teachers commented on how much better things are. The teens are more interactive with eachother and respectful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid has a watch phone that can only text or call numbers that we preprogram/allow. I wouldn’t send her to a sleepover without that so she can call me in an emergency, but no way would I send her to a play date, birthday party, etc., with any device beyond that.

My 10yo daughter had a birthday party at a trampoline place, and her friend at least handed me the phone to keep safe while she played, but asked for it back when it was pizza time and didn’t look or talk to another kid during that time. She just ate and scrolled. She didn’t even sing “Happy Birthday.”

The other advantage to the watch is that it’s actually harder to text than on a phone, so in my experience, at least, they use it less.

Barely. They all compare apps and games and stupid stuff in their Apple Watches.

I have a parents photos from an 11th bday party and 3 girls including mine are all hunchbacked over their Apple Watches together in 6 of the 8 photos.

I showed her those and told her how rude that was and no more Apple Watch or hovering over others’ screens at parties. It’s insulting to the hosts and guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman doesn't know anyone in his lunch period and unfortunately most kids are on their phones then and not really meeting new people.

Yeah…

I don’t think they should be allowed at lunch either. They should be totally
Put away/off from morning bell until dismissal. Lunch should be to eat and socialize in person. Not stare at phone watching stupid YouTube shorts

My daughter’s private school has always banned phones, but this year they’re really cracking down. Phones go into a locked Yondr pouch the entire day. No exceptions for lunch or even afterschool activities at school. Kids get them back when they’re leaving campus.

Excellent.

Doesn’t out the teachers in the constant position of telling students not to peek into their bags or take “phone breaks” at their locker if in the bathrooms.

Really retaining the math class material with that going on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love that there is a growing backlash to smartphones. I hope it continues. They are just awful for kids’ mental health and social life.

+100000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman doesn't know anyone in his lunch period and unfortunately most kids are on their phones then and not really meeting new people.

Yeah…

I don’t think they should be allowed at lunch either. They should be totally
Put away/off from morning bell until dismissal. Lunch should be to eat and socialize in person. Not stare at phone watching stupid YouTube shorts

Agree.

Grow up parents. Leave your kid alone to focus at school. Text them changes or new info only at 3:30. And don’t be their secretary, they need to learn how to set reminders and do stuff on their own.

Mommy isn’t going to call you every day at 3pm and tell you what to do. Figure it out yourself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that there is a growing backlash to smartphones. I hope it continues. They are just awful for kids’ mental health and social life.

+100000

Agreed. I have this sense/hope that things are slowly getting better. Maybe Gen Alpha won’t be total screen zombies. But I worry it’s too late for Gen Z.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My freshman doesn't know anyone in his lunch period and unfortunately most kids are on their phones then and not really meeting new people.

Yeah…

I don’t think they should be allowed at lunch either. They should be totally
Put away/off from morning bell until dismissal. Lunch should be to eat and socialize in person. Not stare at phone watching stupid YouTube shorts

Agree.

Grow up parents. Leave your kid alone to focus at school. Text them changes or new info only at 3:30. And don’t be their secretary, they need to learn how to set reminders and do stuff on their own.

Mommy isn’t going to call you every day at 3pm and tell you what to do. Figure it out yourself!

Exactly! I posted above about my kid’s newly strict cell phone ban. People often will ask, “how will I contact my kid in case of emergency?!” Call the school. They’ll relay the message to your kid. Just like we did for decades.

People act as though we’re asking them to cut their arm off. The world operated just fine before the goddamn phones.