How long on MSN?

[bbmad]

My 13 yr old dd would happily spend every waking hour on the computer talking to friends on MSN.

The computer is in a shared area and I know who she is talking to so safety is not an issue but what would you say is a reasonable amount of time for her to spend on it?

[kcemum]

My nearly 11yr old DD would also do the same as your DD, I think we are a bit mean as we only let her use it for half an hour a day (supposedly). Ours is also a shared computer so to make it fair to everybody they also get half an hour regardless of what they are doing/talking to.

HTH

I also find that many of her friends are still up chatting well after she has gone to bed. (all in the same year at school)

[bbmad]

Thats what I'm hearing at the moment... this friend does that, another friend does something else!

Was thinking of saying an hour and thats it... just wanted to make sure I was being reasonable! (amazing how they can make you doubt yourself as they get older!)

[kcemum]

I think an hour is enough at 13. You will always hear so and so is allowed this and such and such is allowed that but I find it's just their imaginations and wishful thinking!

[motheroftwoboys]

Both my boys spend FAR TOO LONG on their computers/games/msn. I think I must be a Really Bad Mother because when I get in from work knackered the last thing I want is a row about this. DS2 - 13 would spend every waking hour gaming and I think sometimes at the weekend this is what he does. At least it is peaceful. As long as they do their homework I don't think it is too much of a problem, I keep thinking they will grow out of it and move on to something even more of a problem lol. AFter all, - don't many of us spend more than an hour a day on the computer.

[NomDePlume]

13 year old DS is allowed an hour online on a school day and 3 hours at weekends

[greenbean]

15 dd spends longer on msn than I do on mnet!

[margyfargy]

My 12 year old DD always seems to be on there but I have found a solution (beyond turning off the computer) - I login using her user name on my laptop (which I am using for totally legitimate purposes - academic research ) and tell all her friends that she has been banned from using it for the evening!

I know it is wicked but it does get the message across!

[mumeeee]

My 13 and 15 year old would spend all day on MSN if we let them. We now say about an hour a dayon the computer unless they have homework to do on it.

[spacedonkey]

I had this problem with my dd too (she's 14). I found that she would get up in the night and spend hours talking to god-knows-who on MSN - it was the cause of some major battles. This is one major reason why I no longer have an internet connection at home: battles over the computer are no longer an issue. We have a cheap internet cafe 5 minutes away, so if she wants to go online, she takes a pound and spends a couple of hours at the internet caff. Problem solved.

And it cured my mn addiction to boot

[GREATauntymandy]

mine 13 yr old is the same!!
I am going to try and use a point system.
Like 1 job =so many mins

[Milliways]

My DD does her homework on PC whilst logged in to MSN. She often switches to "appear offline" so that she can concentrate on work, but they all discuss/help with homework - as well as arrange the weekend meetups etc. I don't mind as long as homework gets done & grades remain so good.

[Tortington]

after chores abd home work - she can do what she wants (12yo) if thats msn then fine.

its when its all say sat & sun it bothers me - i turn it off and tell her to get out of the house.

[jules27]

I have two teenagers and they get a hour each . We have the computer down in our lounge ,so we know who they are both talking to and i always make sure that they know all the people on line any one they dont know gets blocked . The rule with both of them is that at anytime we can and do check what they are looking at or who they are talking too.(beware occassionally people do come on they dont know) We now have a second cheap computer for homework which isnt online so that msn and homework isnt a problem.

[soyabean]

Ds1 gets about an hour, once homework and practice done, longer at weekends. Pc is in the sitting room now which feels much better than when it was in office at top of house. I dont check what he's doing, but he wouldn't do anything he's not supposed to as we are all around him.

[jules27]

That's what we thought, dont look at anything your not suppose to.One of them was just too tempted after someone at school said it was good site to go on. That's why we have the rule with both of them if i wouldn't look at it neither should you.