Reply to Can I give up on trying to parent my 11-year-old?

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Reply to " Can I give up on trying to parent my 11-year-old?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can you provide the name of whatever app automatically shuts off the device at the specified interval? [/quote]

It's called "Mom."[/quote]

Ahhh yes.  But Mom can be ignored, argued with, begging for just 5 more minutes, assured that the world will end if you don't finish just this level, told that she got the time wrong, and he has 5 minutes left, told that the time he spent in the bathroom shouldn't count, and so on.  If your kid is stubborn and tenacious enough, it can take a half an hour to end a half an hour of screen time. And if you have an ADHD kid whose meds have run out and is in hyperfocus mode, this will end with yelling, crying, a meltdown and a slamming door. Whereas your kid can try to argue with a kindle that has turned itself off.  But they won't get very far, and mom doesn't have to listen to it or have the same.damn.fight.and.temper.tantrum.every.day.

If you don't have an ADHD kid who hyperfocuses with electronics, you may think it's a lack of discipline issue.  And the parents should say turn it off and the kid should do it. Nope.

I'm actually a big fan of no electronics until you really can't avoid it. But by middle school, there starts to an academic use for devices too, so avoiding altogether may not be possible. [/quote]

I wrote "It's called 'Mom'" and I do have an ADHD kid.  His meds are gone by dinnertime (6ish) so I hide his DS and I'm the only one who knows the password on my laptop.  He isn't allowed video games M-Th nights at all.  On Friday-Sunday he can use electronics if his grades are good (we check them every few days) and after he has cleaned and organized his binder for the following week.  My kid will argue with a tree stump.  Be my guest.  I don't have to stand around to listen to it.  I have stuff to do.  He is 11 and doesn't need a phone or his own tablet/kindle, etc.  They are expensive and I don't have the money to get him one (single parent here).  Let him cry, let him tantrum but you cannot give up on him.[/quote]

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