The surefire way to limit your kids' screen time.

by KATE HUNTER

Honestly? I don’t know what’s so hard about restricting kids’ internet use.

I’m sure it gets tougher in upper grades of high school because kids might have, you know, jobs. But until then, in my opinion, she who holds the purse wields the power. You can jot that down if you like.

Clearly, not everyone agrees, because there’s a lot of hand-wringing about the amount of time kids are spending online. This, from news.com.au:

ONE in five Aussie kids spend so much time surfing the internet that they miss out on meals and sleep, a study shows.

Edith Cowan University researchers have revealed that “excessive internet use” is twice as common in Australian children as British kids.

More than half of children confessed they waste so much time online that they “have spent less time than I should have” with family, friends or doing homework.

Sixty per cent said they had caught themselves surfing when they were “not really interested”.

Our family isn’t Amish. My son and daughter (11 and 9) write blogs and prefer to watch You Tube than TV.  We have our quota of iDevices, but if anyone’s addicted to the internet it’s me. But I’ve got no problem saying, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ I need the internet for work. Also, I like to fart arse around on Twitter and Facebook, but that’s my prerogative because I’m an adult and I pay the broadband bill.

Yes, the kids need to be online for homework, but when that’s done, you – the parent, the one in charge – can turn it off. Then on again if rooms are tidy and someone’s given you a shoulder rub. My friend Margie changes their Wi-Fi password at 9pm each night and only gives the new one to the kids when their jobs are done the next day. In her house, online access is a privilege, not a right. Amen to that sista.

What are the online access rules at your place?