[bsdshepherd]

> there's something I need to watch closely and control,

I humbly suggest you teach them self control. It's usually better to set an example rather than set the rules.

> despite the fact that it's great to have my kids silently occupied and leaving me to get stuff done.

Television is a drug parents give their children when the parents need to relax. - Unknown

[fsloth]

>> there's something I need to watch closely and control,

>I humbly suggest you teach them self control. It's usually better to set an example rather than set the rules.

I humbly suggest you attempt teaching self control to four year olds and then come back with that comment. Children are not small adults. Their brains are different. That's why you need parents, to tell the child what to do and what not, set the boundaries and so forth.

[bsdshepherd]

I did.

They are.

They're not.

Role models.

Chuck Moore's book was enticing for many reasons (I miss the artwork in my orig copy). No error/exception handling was one. People of all ages must push the boundaries.

I was sincere in my use of humbly. Sarcasm has no place here.

[fsloth]

Oh, sorry, my comment was out of line then and perhaps reflected my own frustrations as a parent. If you've managed to teach such small children not to spend all theit time with a tablet without explicit enforced time limits then I raise my hat to you. Children are different though...

[bsdshepherd]

>>> I humbly suggest you attempt

>> I did

> If you've managed to teach

I attempted by using enforced time limits. I did not succeed.

My child became addicted. I discovered him sprawled out unconscious like a junkie, with dead batteries littering the floor like so many used syringes, and knew he'd managed to obtain a hand held unit from somewhere.

Other comments made light of addiction, yet it's very real for some people. The slingshot response to control, overindulgence, seems to be common. Success stories about alcohol, drugs, pornography, and other adult subjects usually involve teaching self discipline early on with things such as sweets.

Try not to get too frustrated. The challenges of parenting don't last much more than three, maybe four decades.