Screen time battle with 8 year old - am I being too strict?

3w ago1 min read

So my kid wants an iPad like all his friends at school. Right now he gets maybe 1 hour on weekends and that's it. My wife thinks I'm being too harsh but I grew up without screens and I turned out fine. The thing is he's actually really into coding games and educational stuff, not just mindless YouTube. Part of me thinks maybe I should let him have a bit more for learning? But also I see how he gets when we take it away. Any dads been through this? What's reasonable for his age?

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Comments(7)

TTravisRegular3w ago

I get the worry about being the strict parent. But honestly 1 hour weekend time is solid parenting, not strict parenting. Your kid will be fine without his own iPad. All his friends won't have them forever anyway.

JJake M.Regular3w ago

1 hour on weekends seems totally reasonable to me. My 7yo gets iPad time on Saturdays and it's fine. The friends thing is tough though - everyone at school has one. Have you talked to him about why he specifically wants one?

GGarrettNew Dad3w ago

This is the kind of thing that comes up at our firepit conversations. My rule is: if it's gonna be a battle every single day, that's worth paying attention to. But an iPad isn't a need, it's a want. Stay the course.

MMarvin T.Regular3w ago

Man, I've got four kids and trust me, you're not being too strict. My oldest wanted the same thing and we held firm until he was 10. Now he's 14 and actually grateful we didn't just hand him a screen. Your wife might come around once you two chat about what the actual rules are.

KKeith L.Regular3w ago

One hour on weekends sounds pretty reasonable to me. My kids have tried the "but everyone else has one" line too, and honestly it's never true. Maybe compromise by letting him earn some extra screen time through chores or something instead of just giving in?

SScott M.Regular3w ago

You're not being strict at all. Kids that age don't need iPads. We do maybe 30 minutes a week during busy times and honestly our kids are happier when they're outside or doing other stuff. Stick with your gut.

CCarlos M.Regular3w ago

The peer pressure thing is real and it sucks. My oldest came home saying 'everyone has one' and it wasn't even true. Maybe compromise with a specific schedule instead of just saying no? Like Tuesday and Saturday for 30 minutes.