Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#51

Post by ht_th » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:31 PM UTC

iLoch wrote: post #3

benologist wrote: post #2

I would like to add one other small question for a soon to be 3 year old, how to encourage books over tech?

Do you really think there is an advantage to books over tech? I tend to think most people are attached to books for nostalgic reasons.

I wonder if you can have a favorite e-book the same way you can have a favorite physical book? My favorite books I read multiple times, they have become worse for wear, I know every wrinkle I made while reading it, and, while reading it, it just feels right in my hands. I don't have that with e-books. Yes, the content is the same, but I am less able to form an attachment to a virtual copy than I am to a physical copy. Somehow, the holistic experience of reading a physical book versus reading an e-book on a e-book reader is different, although the actual content in both manifestations is the same. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but books and series I care about more, I still get physical copies. For my light reading, however, I'm fine with e-books.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#52

Post by dshenoy00 » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:32 PM UTC

I'm a mom to an 8 yr old and a 4 yr old. My initial challenge was similar - managing screen time, but I was also concerned about the content of some of the videos. Enabling safe search was not adequate.

To solve this problem for myself, I built an HTML5 Youtube player app which allows parents to set daily time quotas and flag inappropriate videos. I've replaced YouTube with this app on our iPad. The kids don't exceed the quotas that I've set often, but its useful to have a history of how much they've been watching and what they've been watching. I did flag some music videos that were inappropriate. The kids seem to like the fact that they have their own profiles.

The app is still work in progress, but if you are interested , take a look at http://www.olipie.com/. Any feedback or suggestions are most welcome.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#53

Post by Mz » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:35 PM UTC

dshenoy00 wrote: post #52

I'm a mom to an 8 yr old and a 4 yr old. My initial challenge was similar - managing screen time, but I was also concerned about the content of some of the videos. Enabling safe search was not adequate. To solve this problem for myself, I built an HTML5 Youtube player app which allows parents to set daily time quotas and flag inappropriate videos. I've replaced YouTube with this app on our iPad. The kids don't exceed…

You might also consider submitting it to "Show HN": https://news.ycombinator.com/show

Welcome aboard!

Mz, first lady of hn (or at least it appears that way to me -- someone feel free to prove me wrong)

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#54

Post by pjc50 » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:37 PM UTC

jmccree wrote: post #19

So the generation that grew up with free love and drugs did everything to prevent their children from experiencing the same, and the generation that grew up with free tech does the same with tech. The cycle continues.

.. because they've experienced the downsides to themselves in retrospect, and can see the downsides from the outside?

(The zeroth phase in the cycle is prudish uninformed opposition that is comically wrong about what the downsides are and why)

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#55

Post by sergiotapia » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:42 PM UTC

Two children, 5 and 3. No limits on screen time whatsoever, they watch TV, or Netflix on PS4, or play mario on the Wii U, or play snakes and ladders, etc.

If I ever see them go 'full retard' with the screen usage I would step in, but they have never really gotten that far. They always find time to play between them: play fights, bowling with their toy pins, playing with the dog, etc.

I don't really believe in that type of parenting where you control each and every second of the day for your kid. I wasn't raised that way. Let kids be kids.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#56

Post by ChrisNorstrom » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:45 PM UTC

0942v8653 wrote: post #26

mkempe wrote: post #9

My daughter is 5. We've done several things: 1. Blocked youtube on all iOS devices. This has been the most significant, positive action. She was rabid and unhappy whenever she used youtube, even for 20 minutes. The mental unbalance would sometimes last for hours. 2. NO live TV (no ads), unless we're watching a special event, e.g. a tennis tournament or other major cultural happenings (usually via BBC/VPN). The TV scr…

How did you block youtube?

To block websites on ALL your devices you need to block them on the router level.

If you have a linksys router you can visit http://192.168.1.1 and the default username and password are both "admin". From there you can visit the website restrictions area and add YouTube to be 1 of 4 restricted domains.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#57

Post by jamesaguilar » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:49 PM UTC

mkempe wrote: post #9

My daughter is 5. We've done several things: 1. Blocked youtube on all iOS devices. This has been the most significant, positive action. She was rabid and unhappy whenever she used youtube, even for 20 minutes. The mental unbalance would sometimes last for hours. 2. NO live TV (no ads), unless we're watching a special event, e.g. a tennis tournament or other major cultural happenings (usually via BBC/VPN). The TV scr…

I really like your idea to give her cards. I think practicing budgeting and spending is probably really good for kids, and your solution feeds into that. Great job! I will probably steal this idea when my son is older . . . and perhaps I should also use it on myself.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#58

Post by dshenoy00 » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:54 PM UTC

Mz wrote: post #53

dshenoy00 wrote: post #52

I'm a mom to an 8 yr old and a 4 yr old. My initial challenge was similar - managing screen time, but I was also concerned about the content of some of the videos. Enabling safe search was not adequate. To solve this problem for myself, I built an HTML5 Youtube player app which allows parents to set daily time quotas and flag inappropriate videos. I've replaced YouTube with this app on our iPad. The kids don't exceed…

You might also consider submitting it to "Show HN": https://news.ycombinator.com/show Welcome aboard! Mz, first lady of hn (or at least it appears that way to me -- someone feel free to prove me wrong)

Thank you!! Will do that...

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#59

Post by jamesaguilar » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:54 PM UTC

pzxc wrote: post #28

Something about this topic disturbs me. I would always have loved computers no matter what, but if my parents had restricted my screen time during my obsessive periods I don't think I would be half the programmer I am today.

It depends on what your goals for your kids are. It also depends on the quality of screen time. Youtube != Programming != Video gaming != Documentaries != Movies != TV.

Personally, my primary goal for my son is not to make him the best programmer out there. I want him to be a good, happy person first and foremost. If there are things I can do to make him a better programmer that would hurt the chances of him being happy and good, then I will probably prefer instead to hurt his chances of being a good programmer.

Screen time is one of those things that I'm somewhat concerned about. Some kids get a lot of it these days. I'm not normally one for fearmongering, but the studies I've seen coming out don't necessarily take a very positive view of its effects.

Re: Ask HN: How much screen time do you let your kids have?

#60

Post by jamesaguilar » Sat, Dec 13, 2014, 9:56 PM UTC

jmccree wrote: post #19

So the generation that grew up with free love and drugs did everything to prevent their children from experiencing the same, and the generation that grew up with free tech does the same with tech. The cycle continues.

My parents and most of my friends' parents limited our screen time when we were kids in the 90s. I wouldn't say we grew up with "free tech" in the sense that you seem to believe we did.