Son is obsessed with YouTube and I don't know how to handle it

2w ago·1 min read

My 9 year old comes home from school and immediately wants to watch YouTube. It's become this thing where if we say no, he gets angry and pouts. We've tried setting timers but he negotiates constantly. My wife thinks we're being too strict but I'm worried this is becoming unhealthy. Tried watching what he watches and it seems fine but I don't love the amount of time he's spending on it. How are other parents managing this?

4 comments137 views

Comments(4)

BBrandonNew Dad2w ago

Replace it with something better if you can. My son was the same way till we got into a hobby together. Now he'd rather do that after school. Still gets screen time but it's not the first thing he crashes for.

RRob H.Regular2w ago

Could be worse. At least he's coming home and not disappearing till bedtime. Set a hard rule and stick to it. They test the boundaries but kids respect consistency even when they complain about it.

BBlake T.New Dad2w ago

This is the digital-age version of that one TV show every kid wanted to watch. We went through this with our oldest. Sitting down together and actually watching something with him once showed him I wasn't just trying to be a screen nazi.

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MMitchell R.New Dad2w ago

9 year olds and YouTube, name a more iconic duo. Have you tried asking him what he actually watches? Sometimes if you engage with their interests instead of just shutting it down they're more willing to negotiate. Maybe there's a compromise on certain channels or creators.