Device usage when hanging with friends

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have to say I’m really surprised by some of these responses and now grateful that my kids’ friend group is comprised primarily of parents who try to limit this stuff.

They play games, play outside, bake treats. It requires the tiniest bit of effort (parents saying “no screens”) but it’s very possible. And no, it doesn’t kill their social lives. At all.

+1

I know that kids that age are eager to act and do older things but they are actually in an in between stage where they still enjoying more kid-friendly activities. Sometimes they just need to feel comfortable to do that.

Baking kits, Chopped competitions, escape room in a box, doing nails, making your own body scrub, board games, mad libs, painting kits, crafts, flashlight tag, water balloon fights, karaoke machine, etc are all options. You don't need to manage it as a parent but just provide the supplies and gently encourage.

Honestly that was one my points that I waa going to make. I think op specifically said 7th grade, thats 12 and 13, so still a kid and barely a teen, 13 is really still a kid actually

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have to say I’m really surprised by some of these responses and now grateful that my kids’ friend group is comprised primarily of parents who try to limit this stuff.

They play games, play outside, bake treats. It requires the tiniest bit of effort (parents saying “no screens”) but it’s very possible. And no, it doesn’t kill their social lives. At all.

+1

I know that kids that age are eager to act and do older things but they are actually in an in between stage where they still enjoying more kid-friendly activities. Sometimes they just need to feel comfortable to do that.

Baking kits, Chopped competitions, escape room in a box, doing nails, making your own body scrub, board games, mad libs, painting kits, crafts, flashlight tag, water balloon fights, karaoke machine, etc are all options. You don't need to manage it as a parent but just provide the supplies and gently encourage.

+1 love these ideas!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear from other parents on whether this is just how it is these days or this is abnormal/excessive.

DD is in 7th grade and she and her friends spend WAY too much time on their devices when they are all together hanging out after school or on weekends. Literally all they want to do is film dance videos, play Roblox or watch other people’s videos on CapCut (none of her close friends have any social media). They literally do this for hours and want to do nothing else. Last night she had 2 friends sleep over and I shut the WiFi off at 9:30pm after they had been doing this since 4pm and barely broke for dinner. DD told me this is why she prefers going to her friends’ houses since their parents let them be on their devices for as long as they want. This is a good group of mostly straight A kids from good families who are involved.

I feel like it’s too much and am wondering what rules others have in place when hanging with friends. Do you allow them to be on their devices as much as they want?

Literally everyone with somewhat involved parents monitoring online grading have "all As." Every teacher gives As out like candy; dumbed down tests, busy work, soft grading, test retakes, accepting late assigns, extra credit. You basically have to literally not show up and have totally uninvolved parents to get Bs and Cs.