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Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#41

Post by ceejayoz »

adaml_623 wrote: post #21
theonething wrote: post #10

My kid's almost three. From day one, we've implemented a zero screen policy. That means no phones, tablets, computers, TV (don't own one), etc. We've read to her since day one and she loves books now and her spoken/listening language skills are way ahead for her age. Wife speaks to her in her native language so she's growing up bilingual too. Wife takes her to parks, mommy and me classes where they have story time, s…

What do you do with her when you are out with friends? Restaurants, etc?

Kids went to these places before smartphones. Restaurants, for example, tend to have crayons.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#42

Post by seneca »

koalaman wrote: post #9

After having spent a fair amount of time using various different tools to attempt to control their screen time, my conclusion is that it was a mistake to have any screens in the house in the first place. A library of great books, good games, craft and art materials, and a collection of musical instruments would have been the best thing for my kids I'm thinking. Screens just make them addicted and miserable.

Completely agreed. They may be left out by some peers for not being up to date on internet culture, but they will have much richer lives and personalities for having spent that time with all of the things you listed.

It's a difficult path, and not for everyone, but I think it's the right one for people willing to do it.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#43

Post by ceejayoz »

factsarelolz wrote: post #34
mixmastamyk wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sit quietly, talk, color, maybe read. Is this hard to believe? We did that.

A 2-3 year old sitting there quietly talking, coloring or reading? Yeah it's very very very hard to believe. Even if the child is an absolute saint there's such things as sensory overload.

If you bring kids to restaurants early, they get used to the rules quite quickly. If they can figure out a touchscreen, they can figure out how to sit politely at the table.

Mine were very happy to draw, read picture books, etc. at that age.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#45

Post by [deleted] »

ceejayoz wrote: post #43
factsarelolz wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A 2-3 year old sitting there quietly talking, coloring or reading? Yeah it's very very very hard to believe. Even if the child is an absolute saint there's such things as sensory overload.

If you bring kids to restaurants early, they get used to the rules quite quickly. If they can figure out a touchscreen, they can figure out how to sit politely at the table. Mine were very happy to draw, read picture books, etc. at that age.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#46

Post by [deleted] »

benjaminwootton wrote: post #39
factsarelolz wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A 2-3 year old sitting there quietly talking, coloring or reading? Yeah it's very very very hard to believe. Even if the child is an absolute saint there's such things as sensory overload.

Are you guys being serious? It would be a cold day in hell before my children sat at a dinner table with an ipad for entertainment! A 3 year old talking, colouring, playing games etc before food arrives is absolutely normal and acheivable!

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#47

Post by aliqot »

shp0ngle wrote: post #37

I don’t know if I will. I was a computer addicted kid since I was about 8, when parents bought me a computer in 1995. When faster internet came, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I was on the internet nonstop. And later on social media - LiveJournal, Blogger, Flickr, YouTube, but also some local servers that people here won’t know. I don’t think it hurt me that much? Now I am a developer and making more money than m…

This is a different internet than the one we had, is my own apprehension.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#48

Post by nkohari »

You're going to get a lot of skewed results here, because a lot of parents aren't going to feel comfortable telling the truth: that almost all parents allow a reasonable amount of screen time to their kids, even if they know it's not the healthiest thing for them.

Personally, we have a four year old and an almost-two year old, and they're watching a Leapfrog show on the TV as we speak. We limit their access to screens, but realistically there are times when they're really useful.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#49

Post by xhrpost »

shp0ngle wrote: post #37

I don’t know if I will. I was a computer addicted kid since I was about 8, when parents bought me a computer in 1995. When faster internet came, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I was on the internet nonstop. And later on social media - LiveJournal, Blogger, Flickr, YouTube, but also some local servers that people here won’t know. I don’t think it hurt me that much? Now I am a developer and making more money than m…

I feel like content and internet use was wildly different back then. I did the same thing in that timeframe with a similar result. But I was constantly constructive with what I did. Not because I was a workaholic, I was just really curious and interested in everything.

Linux? Cool let's install and play around for a while. How many fun logos can I make in GIMP for my cheesy geocities site? Oh half-life comes with a level builder, let's build some levels!

As time goes on, I end up exploring less and less and now just absorb media when I'm not working. And it's not even fun or satisfying, but the dopamine hit is easy. It could be just partially growing up and having real responsibility and a full time job, but I feel the content delivery bears some of the blame.

Re: Ask HN: How do you protect your children from internet addiction?

#50

Post by nkohari »

benjaminwootton wrote: post #39
factsarelolz wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A 2-3 year old sitting there quietly talking, coloring or reading? Yeah it's very very very hard to believe. Even if the child is an absolute saint there's such things as sensory overload.

Are you guys being serious? It would be a cold day in hell before my children sat at a dinner table with an ipad for entertainment! A 3 year old talking, colouring, playing games etc before food arrives is absolutely normal and acheivable!

What works for some doesn't work for everyone. Parents should do what works for them and their kids, without judgement.
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