Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have had this trouble too. The school gives him a Chromebook and nothing else to do and then acts shocked the tenth time he does something thoughtless and dumb (never mean or threatening). He doesn’t misuse screens at home so I feel powerless where the school won’t do what I know works (limiting screens; keeping him engaged in other things).

Can’t wait for summer. No real ideas, just commiseration.

As a teacher, I will tell you that most students do not do thoughtless and dumb things when presented with a Chromebook. Limiting screens at home is not having the effect you think it is having. If you raise a child in a home with only health foods, they will gorge on sugar the first time they encounter it. The child needs to learn judgment and impulse control.

Guess what? Many of the kids who eat a lot of junk food at home also gorge when they go to other people's homes or parties. They just get more junk food overall.

Yes, we limit junk food and have one gorger and one non gorger. I suspect if we didn't limit we'd still have one gorger and one non gorger, and the only difference is they'd both get more junk food overall.

We also limit screens at home. Neither have done anything dumb yet (they have less opportunity to do so). One is a budding screenaholic but very cautious online as she is in general about everything. One is less interested in screens but I suspect more likely to make mistakes online because less social awareness and more impulsivity

Anonymous wrote:He’s a brat and you’re excusing his behavior with the trope of “gosh he’s so smart and bored.”

Newsflash—he’s not smart because he routinely gets caught doing moronic things. Now stop excusing his crap behavior and parent him.

Did you miss the parts where OP

1) gave her kid consequences
2) was looking to give him additional information to reinforce the lessons he clearly hadn't learned
3) was aware of his tendencies as a person to feel very guilty over things

If all that isn't being a parent, then all the sanctimonious perfect parents on DCUM will have to stop talking about how they do all these sorts of things.

He’s a brat and you’re excusing his behavior with the trope of “gosh he’s so smart and bored.”

Newsflash—he’s not smart because he routinely gets caught doing moronic things. Now stop excusing his crap behavior and parent him.