We are a family with lots of technology in the house, even the youngest kids are drawn towards devices and they recently got a really fun new one, the VTech DigiGo (click to read our full review and find out more about what makes this device different.)
Today, I have the chance to offer one In The Playroom reader the chance to win one of these for your child too. Whoever wins it will definitely have a happy kid!
To enter, I’m asking you to share your stories on smart device etiquette in your home, with the hashtag #DigiGoetiquette – Tell me about the smart device rules in your house, or any funny stories you have with your kids technology fails or disasters. One winner will be picked at random.
Over the years, we have been lucky to get away without too many disasters but I have had a phone teethed and drooled on by my eldest as a baby, so much that it stopped working due to water damage (I know… gross right.) I’ve learnt my lessons since then and don’t let babies hold my phone any more! We’ve also had a couple of cracked screens on various tablets. That’s one of the reasons why proper kids devices can be much better than just giving them a cheaper version of a normal grown up one – the kids ones are way more durable, so there is less worry and breakages!
We’ve also had to put a few rules in place to make sure the kids keep their device usage in check. Our basic rules are along the lines of:
- No devices at the dinner table (including restaurants)
- No taking them out of the house unless I’ve said so
- Put back in the right place when when you’ve finished – no leaving them here and there to get lost and broken
- Ask before using
We don’t have a strict schedule in terms of time limits. It will vary depending on what else needs to be done, and our plans for the day. As long as the boys put them away when asked, I’m happy enough.
Giveaway
For your chance to win a VTech DigiGo for your child, enter via the Rafflecopter below – making sure to leave a comment with your #DigiGoetiquette story
Good luck!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Since my girls have realised that you can turn the camera to face you it’s hilarious going through all the ‘selfies’ they’ve taken and the faces they pull! They are such posers! 🙂
#DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoetiquette We have rules that include no devices at the table or whenever we are eating! Also no devices when we have guests and family around unless it’s a designated play-time!
My daughter spent a fortune on in app purchases on her dads phone #DigiGoettiquette
Our smart device etiquette consists of not using at mealtimes, taking upstairs to bedroom and when guests are around.#DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoettiquette I was lucky my phone was locked so nothing happened
My nephew, at 18months old, managed to permanently turn off the sound on my iPad. I never worked out how and ended up having to restore it to factory settings to get the sound back. There was much more supervision after that 🙂
my son dropped food on my ipad and decided to give it a bath mummy wasn’t happy!
We don’t have a tablet but my son managed to crack the screen on my sisters tablet while watching SpongeBob! #DigiGoetiquette
My son managed to call my sister which wasnt too bad considering his cousin dialled 999! #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoetiquette My dd dialed 999 & asked for police-she’d been learning about 999 calls at school & said she was practising!
#DigiGoetiquette My daughter keeps pressing random buttons and texting nonsense, usually her dad as his name is the first on the list… . She also sets random reminders on the phone.
We have a tablet but my son managed to crack the screen on his and his mums all in one day and wipe out my kindle so far he hold the record for breaking the most tablets in one week as he even broke his gran,s that weekend #DigiGoetiquette
Nothing too crazy, just deleting/moving my apps, using up all my free candy crush tokens and posting random series of letters on Facebook. I’ve password protected my apps now but they can still move them about! #DigiGoetiquette
my boys are only allowed tablets after tea for an hour IF they eat enough of their tea #DigiGoetiquette
my daughters uses my ipad t take pictures. i have random objects and 101 selfies. #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoetiquette I was sorting the messages on my phone and decided to take a picture of my lazy cat. When looking at my pictures I found 3 different photos all of bare naked bums, one my daughters one my sons and one of the husbands. They thought it was super funny the little devils
my little boys are a right menace with my ipad. Constantly changing the language to spanish!
#DigiGoetiquette My 4 year old has learned how to open WhatsApp on my phone and regularly sends voice clips, videos and messages to his dad.
We have a rule of 60 min. of Kindle games a day. Of course, we started with a rule that he had to read on it for 10 minutes before playing, but that faded out. He reads books frequently, so he’s not missing out.
#DigiGoettiquette my twin boys love taking sneaky selfies with my phone, they are only 3!!
My two year old loves playing with the camera and taking selfies
#DigiGoetiquette my children are pains with their tablets and devices, I allow them a certain amount of time, but they do push it with staying on longer or ‘in a min’ mum, I have even started hiding the tablets now
#DigiGoetiquette iPads in the sitting room only and for an hour AFTER tea. I have a passcode on them for extra security
My 3.5 yr old realised you can use the camera on my smart phone even if it is locked. I went to work and was scrolling on my phone and I found hundreds of random photos. There were selfies of her full face, but more of her forehead, eyes, as well as the photos of her feet, blanket, toes, toys, the rug, the list goes on and on, but the best ones were the sneaky ones she had taken of me when I wasn’t looking!! #DigiGoettiquette
My kids now each have a LeapFrog LeapPad2. Both have been used a lot in the last year…so much so that they don’t always work anymore. We have a few rules, but not many.
1. Main use is for road trips longer than 1 hour and can be brought to doctor’s appointments if I say it’s okay.
2. You must ask to use if we are not on a road trip
3. If you whine when I say to put it away, you do not get to play it again for 24-48 hours.
4. If you do not treat it right, you have to put it away for 24-48 hours.
We don’t limit the time when they do have it out. It usually gives me a much needed break from everything…and ALL their games are educational!
#DigiGoettiquette
My little 1 is always trying to use my phone, this would be ideal #DigiGoettiquette
My sons are older (24 & 14) but they always had usage rules when it comes to technology – something they both adhered to. Although the 24 year old is always on his phone at the dinner table now which really bugs me. My granddaughter doesn’t use any type of technology yet although she is always asking to look at videos of cats & dogs on the laptop! #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoettiquette My kids have a certain amount of time they are allowed to go on ipad. No phones at dinner table
my kids must sit down away from any drinks to play with any type of gadget! Not risking any cracked screens or split drinks!
#digigoettiguette my daughter not aloud phone or tablet at table otherwise she won’t eat her dinner xxx
#DigiGoetiquett my daughter used her dads phone to text me to say pick her up as she was bored watching her brother play football!
Thankfully no fails or problems. I got a hudl for my little one and I make sure she always keeps it in the case and can only use it for a few hours a day. I don’t want her becoming dependent on the tablet for entertainment so I make sure she does some reading and plays with her toys too. #DigiGoettiquette
They aren’t allowed them. In their rooms or use half hour before bed. Before the rules we had a hard job getting them to sleep
#digigoetiquette
#DigiGoettiquette my son dropped my phone and smashed the screen and blamed his dad even his dad thought he had done it as well
#DigiGoetiquette out little chap picking up an iPhone and going onto You-Tube and watching Yellow Submarine all by himself, phone now has a lock on it!
Our #DigiGoettiquette No pad until after all homework is done and none at meal times. x
Our #DigiGoettiquette is no phones at the table, My kids tend to play on my phone on long car journeys and sometimes to text their dad if he is working late
After searching frantically for my phone I asked my daughter where my phone was she gave it to another little girl in a pushchair I looked liked some kind of pscho chasing after someone else’s child lmao#DigiGoettiquette
We have securit codes on all our devices as the kids are monkeys at picking them up when we are out of the room. Though I have to remember to enter it myself when they ask instead of shouting it out, they are getting too clever for me!
My toddler things everything is touch screen because of my iphone! #DigiGoettiquette
What a fabulous way to introduce young children to technology. With plenty to keep them amused, and the knowledge that if they want they can contact mum or dad, just to say some thing even before they can write.
No devices at the dinner table as that is for talking, eating and being away from the screen just for a bit #DigiGoetiquette
my daughter managed to poke nearly everyone on my facebook before lol! she has hijacked my ipad and taught me things on there that i didnt know existed and she is only 4!
#DigiGoettiquette my daughters somehow managed to phone the police, I was mortified although looking back now I laugh as they were very good with my children but told them not to do it again. How embarassing!!!!
Always know where your charger is – we constantly misplace them and can not charge up our devices! #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoettiquette My little boy will be four in February and doesn’t have any devices. He sees me swiping with my phone so sometimes he tries to swipe our tv screen to change the channel away from our boring news programmes!!
#DigiGoetiquette when Im watching my soaps, all phones must be on silent.. I cant stand the ‘bling!’ every 2 secs
#DigiGoetiquette My Daughter has dropped my tablet several times, luckily it seems quite tough! She also loves to leave funny pictures and videos on it which I discover weeks after she has used it!
My daughter is selfie queen using up all my memory on my phone #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoetiquette my daughter took some unflappable pictures of me and somehow managed to figure out how to post them on Facebook.????????
we were lucky enough to go to Loro Parque in Tenerife and we went to watch the whale show….. My son was using my ipad to record (and marvel at) The whales doing their tricks … One of the tricks was to “wave” at the audience …. drenching us all in the process….. Result being, one wet iPad which no longer has a working microphone 🙁 sea water and technology dont mix !!! 🙁 #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoEtiquette- my son delights in ‘finding’ my phone and dropping it- he knows that if he can get it to land the right way, it’ll comes out of the case, the back falls off and he takes the battery out! If it doesn’t happen first time, he’ll keep picking up and dropping it to try again- at first I didn’t realise he was doing it on purpose, but he definitely knows….
The mischievous little —-*—-!
My son, 4, isn’t that bothered about using electronics yet but my husband and I have made a rule for ourselves that we can’t use our laptops until our kids are in bed. #DigiGoettiquette
My twin nephews, aged 5 , were not happy when mummy would not recharge the ipad because she said it was time to play outside. They decided to hide her phone so she could not find it and it was only when my brother got home from work and was able to hunt with her that they managed to find it, hidden in the box of porridge. #DigiGoetiquette
My son is 11, has a mobile phone, tablet and Xbox 360, it got to the point I’d tell him it was time to get off his Xbox and he would go straight to his tablet, then I’d say your not going on your tablet and he would turn to his phone, but I’ve now cut them all back to an hour each device each day, his 3 year old sister loves playing with his old Nintendo D.S and her vtech innotab, but with the D.S charger broken, and the innotab won’t hold charge anymore she now plays games on his tablet, this would be fantastic #DigiGoEtiquette xXx
My children aren’t allowed on any tablet until daddy is home, I refuse to learn how to use them and this limits their usage quite nicely! #DigiGoettiquette
now its dark mornings my madames know where i charge my phone up on a night so are getting it in a morning to use as a light with the torch for in there bedroom so they dont have o turn there light on and wake there brother up haha #DigiGoettiquette
we have a rule about no devices at the table boys still try to bring them to dinner table in the hope that we wont notice #DigiGoettiquette
our youngest has just descovered she can watch netflix on my phone every time I put my mobile down it vanishes!
#DigiGoetiquette – we do have a rule that enough is enough. When I think son has had enough screen time I make him turn off and do something else.
#DigiGoEtiquette No technology allowed when we go on holiday apart from our camera . We switch off all phones also. No surprise bills when we come back home.
#DigiGoetiquette always taking selfies on my phone the little monkey
Our #DigiGoetiquette is no devices at the dinner table. 🙂
Our #DigiGotiquette is no eating near device or sticky fingers must wash hands before using , and put down before eating any food .
not really funny so much, but my 4 year old has discovered the camera on my ipad and tries to take pics of everything, even me on the loo,….which isnt pretty, i have to keep checking and deleting pics any time anyone comes round to the house and lil would show them #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoetiquette My son doesn’t have DigiGoetiquette, he is autistic and tech is his life, I honestly don’t restrict him too much as I have found that it’s how he learns the best and it makes him happy 🙂
My daughter is allowed short (timed) periods on the tablet. She is not allowed to download apps without adult supervision either #DigiGoettiquette
My oldest boy was so addicted to gadgets when he was little it seemed like we’d never break the habit. We’ve implemented several rules that have helped. The kids can play for only half an hour at a time, the DS gets put away out of sight (they’re less likely to ask for it if they can’t see it!), and the best one is gadget free Sundays! On Sunday we spend time as a family, play games, go for walks, anything that does not involve a gadget! #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoetiquette , Daughter always laughs her head off at people opening eggs and toys, i sat with her one day and watched some with her, i must say, i laughed too ! it is unusually funny.
My daughter isn’t allowed to use the ipad when we’re out. If we’re visiting family or eating in a restaurant then she has to interact as a family with as not be distracted with gadgets. #DigiGoettiquette
I caught my little boy tapping away on the TV the other day. When I asked him what he was doing he said he was trying to call nanna. I think it’s because he sees me Skyping her on my tablet…I hope it’s not his ‘other’ nanna – who’s sadly left us – and somekind of Carol-Anne episode? 😉
My son can only use my phone if I’m sat next to him – it’s my work phone, so risk limitation!
#digigoettiguette I find is so sad when families go out to eat and everyone is just stuffing food into their mouths while one hand is on a phone, tablet or other kind of device. No conversation at all. Should be banned from eating establishments to bring back the art of acting like a family and talking – something we love doing.
#DigiGoetiquette is no phones, gadgets at the dinner table. My son is not allowed on the internet without me sitting next to him but he is really not that bothered as he just likes to play downloaded games.
daddy is a geek! he loves to play clash of clans;
Annabelle found the ipad and managed to totally rearrange his war base and spend all his gems!!!
daddy wasnt pleased after months of playing and saving up gems!! #DigiGoetiquette
Our #digigoettiguette is absolutely no tech during dinner and a total maximum of call combined of 2 hours a day with a maximum session of 1 hour at a time.
Our rules include those you have mentioned, including no devices at the dinner table, or breakfast or lunch for that matter either and no devices in bedrooms either, if they want to use them, they need to be in sight.
Our rules include those you have mentioned, including no devices at the dinner table, or breakfast or lunch for that matter either and no devices in bedrooms either, if they want to use them, they need to be in sight. #digigoettiguette
I think if you limit screen time then the kids likes playing them more and see it as a treat
we have a rule of no laptop while eating dinner, including us adults too
#DigiGoettiquette my children are not at all addicted to the tablets so we don’t have any rules. They both love lego so they tend to use the tablets to find “builds” they can copy.
son uses his for homework research.
#DigiGoettiquette As long as it’s monitored and not for to long it’s ok
My kids took photos of me in my Pjs and disheveled hair and sent out to my contacts #DigiGoettiquette
my little boy is 3 and has become quite attached to the ipad. i dont want it becoming an obsession so i do limit him to an hour or two in the afternoon and definitely no screen time at meals or before bed
We also have no phones/smart devices at the dinner table. This time is for eating and socialising. being seasonal it reminds me of the scene in Elf where the dad is allowed to answer his phone at the table, and then go to his “office” to eat his dinner. THIS will never happen at our table! 🙂
Don’t mind an hour or two on the ipad and games on my phone altough sometimes I’m guilty of letting them play longer because need to do something urgent – I do ban phones tablets at mealtimes and in bed and try to encourage reading and social skills to develop -it’s difficult to limit children’s use of gadgets when I rely on mine a lot so try to use only when they’ve gone to bed – lots of temper tantrums and crying because all their friends play on their gadgets a lot more xx
my daughter recently realised how to unlock my phone, she then somehow managed to send everyone in my phonebook, including all my work collegues the message ‘poo’ followed by a smiley face! I was horrified #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoettiquette
No electronics at the dinner table
Homework/chores first
must be left in a box in the hall on family movie nights
everything off by 7
There is a lack of etiquette around my end the 2 year old Isabella gets the tablet, can use the tablet and only watches Peppa Pig #DigiGoettiquette 🙂
No screens after 5pm. And she can use my tablet if I see what she’s doing #DigiGoettiquette
My 4 year old daughter is totally addicted to taking selfies with my phone, she will take them without me realising and when I look at my phone there’s literally hundreds of hilarious selfies of her pulling faces, with her sister and brother, with her dolls, you name it! #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoettiquette my daughter deleted half of my pictures 🙁
#DigiGoettiquette my ettiquette involves no using any tech at meal times and only in family rooms never alone in bedrooms x
my 2 yr old managed to send out the pics i had saved on my phone after trying out dresses in changing room to send my sister for her opinion to all my 350 friends on facebook! mortified to say the least
#DigiGoettiquette my nephew got hold of my phone and it ended up down the toilet…. along with my purse, except the credit cards and notes which he posted through the floor boards…..
My toddlers are able to unlock my phone, load up the camera and take hundreds of selfies!
#DigiGoettiquette My etiquette is a litle of what you fancy does you the world of good! The only rule I think I have is no tablets or telly when we have dinner. I’m a teeny bit old fashioned and I love hearing about my four kids lives as we eat dinner, its a special time for me. We did always use to watch telly when eating, but then the kids disappear, and I don’t see them for the rest of the evening, so I love dinner time to be special. 🙂 x
#DigiGoettiquette MY SO DROPPED MY PHONE IN THE BATH LOL
The 5 year old has some offline (for safer use/content) activity apps to keep her entertained yet managed to get online via a neighbours unsecured wi-fi! luckily she was only googling peppa pig pictures :-/ #DigiGoetiquette
#DigiGoettiquette no devices on while eating
No electronic devices on holidays for us. #DigiGoettiquette
My grandchildren have to ask for permission to use electronic devices. They are not allowed at meal times and not after bedtime. #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoetiquette I allow my boys to play on devices after they’ve completed their homework.
Our little boy recently started to play on our tablet, he loved playing games on it, until he dropped it into the bath ????#DigiGoetiquette
Fantastic Giveaway! Thank you for the chance ☺
Fingers crossed ✌ ✌
#DigiGoettiquette We do not allow devices during meal times!
#DigiGoettiquette I foolishly let my son play Candy Crush Soda on my phone with it still connected to Data Usage…..needless to say the bill was overwhelming after all of his in app purchases.
My son has worked out which apps to use to get the ice hockey scores! So we only use that part of the phone before dinner 🙂
#DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoettiquette we have rules no using them when eating, any raised voices and they get turned off, If I say they need to be put away they go straight away or lose them the whole of next day.
My daughter Mia was playing candy crush on my home and managed to rack up 80 quid bill #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoettiquette Nothing disastrous to report!
#DigiGoettiquette daughter thought bathroom selfies were great – til the phone went down the toilet!!
#DigiGoettiquette
Our rules are:
Gaming time for no more than 1 hour a day
Put the device back on charge or where you got it when finished playing
No screens at bedtime.
I try to limit screen time but not too much as my eldest has additional needs and tech is a lifeline for him! #DigiGoettquette
we set up times for tablet times #DigiGoetiquette
my 4 year old buried my phone in a plant pot and when i was looking for it she got it back out and tried washing it with baby wipe #DigiGoettiquette
#DigiGoetiquette
I do allow the iPad at the dinner table to play as the youngest sometimes won’t eat unless he focused on something eat, we play it day by day. We try not to take it to restaurants and we do mostly succeed with the bribe of pudding and a couple of cars But i see no harm in it =) We don’t have devices in a morning and they only get them at tea time / after tea for an hour =)
#DigiGoetiquette
Managed to delete all contacts!!!
#DigiGoettiquette my niece always takes selfies with out me knowing!