'Unreasonable' mum switches off Wi-Fi six hours a day as children 'kick off'

kids
Two teenagers sitting on a sofa with green screen smart phones. -Credit:Getty Images


A lot of children would spend all day on their devices given the chance - but one mum has come with an idea to limit their screen time. She implemented a Wi-F rule in the house - and it's fair to say her kids were less than impressed.

The mum-of-two explained that she'd had major "backlash" from her children, aged 12 and 14, for deciding that the Wi-F should be turned off between 12.30am and 6am. Although she had been more relaxed with their bedtimes during the school holidays, it didn't mean she wanted to hear them around the house at all hours because they were still awake.

Her kids claimed their mates were allowed to be online "all night".

Taking to Mumsnet, the mum wanted to know whether she was being unreasonable for turning the Wi-F off.

She stated: "We usually go to bed about 11pm and they are usually still up while they are off school which I don't mind, however, there have been a few days where they have woken us up through the night at god knows what time when we have to be up for work in the morning. It's not so much them talking that wakes us up (although that does sometimes) it's hearing them move about the house because they are still awake, opening and closing doors, flushing toilets, turning lights on, going downstairs etc."

She explained that her 14-year-old has "kicked off" about the curfew, "begging for it to be left on". "Am I being unreasonable to implement this new rule?", she asked. "I think 12.30am is a late enough Wi-F curfew for a 12 and 14-year-old whilst they are off school and actually quite generous."

Ninety-four per cent of people voted that the woman wasn't being unreasonable, with many mums jumping to her defence. Some even said that her curfew was too generous.

One wrote: "I would say more like 10 or 11pm! They need their sleep, and could read a book if they're still awake. This generation is growing up absolutely addicted to computers and gaming."

Another added: "More than ok I would think 11pm to 7am is more than fair. What you are doing is called good parenting and oh well if they are upset", with someone else sharing: "Teenagers literally lack the capacity for self-regulation that adults have. Presumably, they are back to school in a week or less so they need to get back to a reasonable bedtime. Also, 'everyone else is allowed' is a protest as old as time! But maybe I'm old-fashioned, I'm not a parent to teenagers."

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