To keep your Wifi, you can change the password—just a thought. Anyway, I was the kid who always stayed up late reading and got into trouble in school for sneaking a book when I was supposed to be doing math.
Both my kids were sound sleepers who liked their sleep so I rarely had this issue. My GF did with her four however, and her resolution was to confiscate all the charging cords and put them in her bedroom - all devices, phones, tablets etc had to be turned in at night and plugged in to recharge in her room. She would count the devices to make sure she had everyone's. She did say her youngest fooled her for over a week by turning in a broken iPhone instead of her current phone, but that for the most part it always worked.
Jan 23, 2023·edited Jan 23, 2023Liked by James Breakwell
I can say I have witnessed or experienced a whole repertoire of punishments, but I'd have to think a while to extract all of them ;).
I didn't have any electronic devices for my own until I was almost eleven. In that time, I was spending my free time reading - everything possible. Therefore, unlike other kids, the penalty for me was NOT TO READ. It was painful to see a piece of text and being forbidden to get acquainted with it, which turned to seeing electronics unreachable due to ban when I became interested in YT videos and online games. The trade "X minutes of reading = X minutes of using screens" was applied only to my youngest brother.
For my parents the tiredness we've got from staying up too late was always a punishment itself. Taking our phones and extra chores also have been a thing for some years, and the latter even now. For example, missing doing the dishes throughout one week meant another one to go. The quality of additional cleaning was also a factor, as for every unwashed utensile or thing left not on their place the ban was extended. Luckily, we never got to switching-off the Wi-Fi situation.
As for the nap time, I apply it usually while travelling. Over the years of my life as a "learning commuter", I started and to this day continue to sleep in the car or bus when I'm on my way to each level of school or back home (I've even somehow learned to do it standing).
My mom's idea of punishment (at least through jr. high) for staying up past my bedtime was to subtract a penny from my weekly allowance for every minute after 10 that the lights were on. Money talked! (I realize we were an oddity getting an allowance.)
We had sleep issues with our 2 kids for so many years, it was exasperating. I wish there'd been something like tablets back then to keep them at least in their room and quiet. My 6-7 year old spent so much time in the recliner with me watching the 10:30 reruns of M*A*S*H that as an adult she named her new kitty 'Hawkeye' after Alan Alda's character.
In other words: I'm no help with ideas because we just muddled through. And, I love this sentence: "I don’t want to see my kids that much." We have all thought that, even if we don't write it down for all to see. :)
On some router/modems you can set a time schedule for each device. Then they are available during those hours. If you don't have that option, there are additional devices that will do it for you (eero whole house wi-fi routers). Just don't let them know that the default password on your router is "admin"!
Let me know I f you figure it out. I have a 25 year old and 21 year old who still stay up all night on electronics. Still drives me crazy. I did find, many years ago, spraying them with ice water helps get them out to bed. Who wants to sleep in cold, wet bedding?
Personally I love the WiFi password change at bedtime. You don't have to move out of your easy chair, or the bed, to watch what you want and the girl's tablets won't work unless... they start downloading stuff to watch while the password is changed.
I feel your pain. Getting kids to stop using the internet for their own nefarious choices even occurs in school! They go where they want, instead of where they are supposed to. It was very aggravating last year after they’d been on-screen so much during the pandemic. For this reason I don’t think any kid should have device access before age 10. (I obviously have no children😉)
As a parent you are going to suffer no matter what you choose. But that’s usually what happens with other things too. I like the turning off of Wi-Fi! Your wife’s idea also is genius. You could also take their tablets at bedtime, put them in tablet jail, charging, until they get home from school the next day. (Yes, you’d probably have to put them under lock and key but it’d be worth it, IMO) Then implement your wife’s genius idea.
Have you ever thought about switching up the rooms? 12 with 8 and 10 with 7 y.o.? Good habits of elders could rub off maybe?
👍🏼 for The Mandalorian and Yoda pillow on the bed👍🏼
I avoided this by having kids before there were computers, lol. As for me, it was books, under the covers with a flashlight. My parents left me alone as long as I made decent grades. I will add one thing, if you think punishment is hard NOW, wait till they’re teenagers. Now, you have girls, so maybe you’ll have more of a screamer but I have 3 boys and once they grow taller than you its MUCH harder to been seen as an authority figure. All I can say is you better be able to back up any threats you make. They’ll remember if you don’t and will use it. I’d rather have dealt with zombies.
You can punish them by forcing the culprits to play a board game with you. Making them to read your books I think it’s a bit abusive 😂. I truly don’t know because I raised my kids way before tablets existed ( not the original Greek ones of course, I’m referring to the electronic ones).
We set the parental controls on our son’s iPad so it locks out all the apps he wants to use from bedtime to a reasonable awake time without the password. He can’t use it. I don’t have to remember to take it from him or sacrifice my own wifi. Win win. 😂
Gee, James and Lola think that they're in control of their house. Isn't that cute? Bless their hearts.
"Children Going Feral" is my new band name.
To keep your Wifi, you can change the password—just a thought. Anyway, I was the kid who always stayed up late reading and got into trouble in school for sneaking a book when I was supposed to be doing math.
Both my kids were sound sleepers who liked their sleep so I rarely had this issue. My GF did with her four however, and her resolution was to confiscate all the charging cords and put them in her bedroom - all devices, phones, tablets etc had to be turned in at night and plugged in to recharge in her room. She would count the devices to make sure she had everyone's. She did say her youngest fooled her for over a week by turning in a broken iPhone instead of her current phone, but that for the most part it always worked.
I can say I have witnessed or experienced a whole repertoire of punishments, but I'd have to think a while to extract all of them ;).
I didn't have any electronic devices for my own until I was almost eleven. In that time, I was spending my free time reading - everything possible. Therefore, unlike other kids, the penalty for me was NOT TO READ. It was painful to see a piece of text and being forbidden to get acquainted with it, which turned to seeing electronics unreachable due to ban when I became interested in YT videos and online games. The trade "X minutes of reading = X minutes of using screens" was applied only to my youngest brother.
For my parents the tiredness we've got from staying up too late was always a punishment itself. Taking our phones and extra chores also have been a thing for some years, and the latter even now. For example, missing doing the dishes throughout one week meant another one to go. The quality of additional cleaning was also a factor, as for every unwashed utensile or thing left not on their place the ban was extended. Luckily, we never got to switching-off the Wi-Fi situation.
As for the nap time, I apply it usually while travelling. Over the years of my life as a "learning commuter", I started and to this day continue to sleep in the car or bus when I'm on my way to each level of school or back home (I've even somehow learned to do it standing).
My mom's idea of punishment (at least through jr. high) for staying up past my bedtime was to subtract a penny from my weekly allowance for every minute after 10 that the lights were on. Money talked! (I realize we were an oddity getting an allowance.)
We had sleep issues with our 2 kids for so many years, it was exasperating. I wish there'd been something like tablets back then to keep them at least in their room and quiet. My 6-7 year old spent so much time in the recliner with me watching the 10:30 reruns of M*A*S*H that as an adult she named her new kitty 'Hawkeye' after Alan Alda's character.
In other words: I'm no help with ideas because we just muddled through. And, I love this sentence: "I don’t want to see my kids that much." We have all thought that, even if we don't write it down for all to see. :)
On some router/modems you can set a time schedule for each device. Then they are available during those hours. If you don't have that option, there are additional devices that will do it for you (eero whole house wi-fi routers). Just don't let them know that the default password on your router is "admin"!
Let me know I f you figure it out. I have a 25 year old and 21 year old who still stay up all night on electronics. Still drives me crazy. I did find, many years ago, spraying them with ice water helps get them out to bed. Who wants to sleep in cold, wet bedding?
Download those Netflix shows before shutting off Wi-Fi, depending how smart your smart TV, may require watching on a tablet.
Personally I love the WiFi password change at bedtime. You don't have to move out of your easy chair, or the bed, to watch what you want and the girl's tablets won't work unless... they start downloading stuff to watch while the password is changed.
so download the episodes you want to watch. Then you don't need wifi. I personally would absolutely stay up all night reading.
I identify entirely with this, but I have 2 teenage boys. Hopefully, I'll survive it.
I feel your pain. Getting kids to stop using the internet for their own nefarious choices even occurs in school! They go where they want, instead of where they are supposed to. It was very aggravating last year after they’d been on-screen so much during the pandemic. For this reason I don’t think any kid should have device access before age 10. (I obviously have no children😉)
As a parent you are going to suffer no matter what you choose. But that’s usually what happens with other things too. I like the turning off of Wi-Fi! Your wife’s idea also is genius. You could also take their tablets at bedtime, put them in tablet jail, charging, until they get home from school the next day. (Yes, you’d probably have to put them under lock and key but it’d be worth it, IMO) Then implement your wife’s genius idea.
Have you ever thought about switching up the rooms? 12 with 8 and 10 with 7 y.o.? Good habits of elders could rub off maybe?
👍🏼 for The Mandalorian and Yoda pillow on the bed👍🏼
I avoided this by having kids before there were computers, lol. As for me, it was books, under the covers with a flashlight. My parents left me alone as long as I made decent grades. I will add one thing, if you think punishment is hard NOW, wait till they’re teenagers. Now, you have girls, so maybe you’ll have more of a screamer but I have 3 boys and once they grow taller than you its MUCH harder to been seen as an authority figure. All I can say is you better be able to back up any threats you make. They’ll remember if you don’t and will use it. I’d rather have dealt with zombies.
You can punish them by forcing the culprits to play a board game with you. Making them to read your books I think it’s a bit abusive 😂. I truly don’t know because I raised my kids way before tablets existed ( not the original Greek ones of course, I’m referring to the electronic ones).
We set the parental controls on our son’s iPad so it locks out all the apps he wants to use from bedtime to a reasonable awake time without the password. He can’t use it. I don’t have to remember to take it from him or sacrifice my own wifi. Win win. 😂
Instead of doing the drastic thing, just change the WiFi password at night. 🤣
(I'm not even a parent, I don't know why I'm giving you this tip. 😅)