Do you take your teen's smart phone at night?

[Anonymous]

PP, you are absolutely correct. There could be some sneaking that happens. I am an extreme night owl so I am usually the last one awake so I hadn't even thought of her being coming downstairs after it.

If there is any sneaking, I think the penalty will be that I answer all of her texts for 24 hours.

[Anonymous]

My 12yr old does not have a phone yet but it will absolutely get checked downstairs. The rule will be 30min after school, then none until homework is complete and then none after 9:30pm.

She will never have a tv or computer in her room. I have said that since birth and will stand my ground on that. I am not out to be my child's friend. I am her parent and could care less what others think. She is a great student and a voracious reader. Half her friends are attached to their iPhones and the addiction is real. She sees it, kinda wants it but knows it will change her.

The whole materialistic nature of parents pleasing their kids is insane.

[Anonymous]

Try this. Hi I am your parent, I will sing you to sleep if you want but the phone goes downstairs next to all the others.

Good night!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try this. Hi I am your parent, I will sing you to sleep if you want but the phone goes downstairs next to all the others.

Good night!

Yeah, a 15 year-old wants his mom to sing him to sleep. How old are your kids?

[Anonymous]

I really hate this phrase "I am not my child's friend" that keeps popping up, as if those of use who have a different approach want to be our child's friend. Maybe all these posts are from one person who has a bug up her butt about this phrase. I do not want to be my DC's friend. I do set boundaries and very often require things and prohibit things that make my children angry. But on this one I allow electronics because they are learning self-discipline and have demonstrated it. if they didn't, I wouldn't. Thats my approach. You don;t have to share it but please retire that ridiculous phrase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try this. Hi I am your parent, I will sing you to sleep if you want but the phone goes downstairs next to all the others.

Good night!

Yeah, a 15 year-old wants his mom to sing him to sleep. How old are your kids?

That's the point. Teen will run to dock his phone to avoid the singing.

[Anonymous]

LOL!

And turn down your stero. I mean IPod.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I finally bought 15 yo DS an i-phone. I would like him to continue the habit we have been trying to instill since birth of reading at bedtime, but he now likes to keep his phone next to his bedside. This summer I have found him up texting or participating in social forums through apps or the internet as late as 2 am. I have tried insisting he put the phone in my room after 10 pm and would like to have this rule during the school year, because I think the temptation is just too great to answer every text, check facebook, etc., and completely lose track of time at night. But he objects because he says this is babyish, and also that all his music is on his i-phone, and listening to music helps him sleep. Should I buy another i-pod for music and enforce the no phone at bedtime rule, or is he too old for that? Is there a way to disable the phone after a certain hour, the way you can with some computers? Or is 15 1/2 old enough to make his own mistakes? TIA for any suggestions.

You have been insisting? How about TAKING the damned phone from him at 7pm each night. I guarantee you that he will finish his studying and homework faster and get to bed earlier. Half of this "start school later" crap is caused by social media usage. Kids admit that they cannot go more than ten minutes without checking for tweets, posts, and whatever so they will not miss the dirt that is being spread around in their circle of friends.

[Anonymous]

Omg. I can't believe this. Your child will be driving soon, in two years will be legally an adult (can even join the military and go off somewhere in a war)

Let your "child" learn to grow up.

How embarrassing for your child.

Shesh now under your care is when you want him to learn, grow and make mistakes. Not later

Mother to 21; 18; 17; & 13. All have and had smart phones for years, laptops in rooms. All are social, healthy happy members of society and family. Oldest 3 in college. And 13 loving being an "only" child at home.

[Anonymous]

I really think it depends on the kid.

16 year old dd has an I-phone she brought herself from work income. She also uses it regularly at night texting and listening to music, yes, even on school nights. I don't really care. She's responsible, gets up on time everyday, does well in school and takes care of tasks at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really think it depends on the kid.

16 year old dd has an I-phone she brought herself from work income. She also uses it regularly at night texting and listening to music, yes, even on school nights. I don't really care. She's responsible, gets up on time everyday, does well in school and takes care of tasks at home.

See, this is my thought. What the heck is wrong with allowing a child to learn how to self regulate? I know my kids have stayed up until midnight or later on the stupid phones, but the next morning when they're dead tired and can't sit through class without dozing off, they've learned their lesson.

They do their homework. They set alarms to get up in the morning, and don't oversleep them.

I really never even thought of taking away their phones.

[Anonymous]

Why put the phone downstairs? Put it in your room, near your bed. She won't come get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try this. Hi I am your parent, I will sing you to sleep if you want but the phone goes downstairs next to all the others.

Good night!

Yeah, a 15 year-old wants his mom to sing him to sleep. How old are your kids?

MIne is 14, and still asks for it. HOw old are yours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe parents buy their kids IPhones. Why is a teen walking around with a $700 phone that will get stolen at school. Idiocy.

Who are you telling? My 10 year old nephew has one. Gah.

Who pays $700 for an iPhone? Ours were $99.

[Anonymous]

We have the phone charging downstairs rule, but 13 year old DS just got an ipod touch. Now I'm wondering about that... he uses it mainly for music. Facetime, email and chat are disabled, but there is internet access. I think for now we'll let it go and see what happens.

Many Nooks/kindles also have internet access so depending on the devices kids have and your thoughts on late night access, you might want to limit internet usage at certain hours.