iPhone/iPad Screentime help

We have Screentime set up for our kids on their iPhones and iPads. I recently noticed that they are now listed differently....they used to be listed as x's phone and x's iPad and now are listed as x's iPhone (2) and x's iPad (2). Does anyone know if this means they have somehow bypassed the system or reset their devices??? I have noticed a couple times where in the screentime report it looks like they have somehow accessed something they shouldn't have been able to (like really late at night). I don't have super strict rules or time limits, but they are set to downtime starting an hour or so before they tend to go to sleep....I don't want them accessing devices overnight bc one has sleep issues which I think devices compound. I'm worried that the new activity I am seeing means they are finding a workaround that....:(

I don’t monitor screen time or use apps but maybe you can just go old fashioned- take the devices away at bedtime. Would that work?


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Originally Posted by SnuggleBuggles

I don’t monitor screen time or use apps but maybe you can just go old fashioned- take the devices away at bedtime. Would that work?


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Yes, we sort of do that now. They have to leave them plugged in downstairs. But I'm wondering if one of them is sneaking downstairs after we go to bed and/or very early in the morning before we get up and getting on then. I guess I could move the plug in station to our bedroom...

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Originally Posted by acmom

We have Screentime set up for our kids on their iPhones and iPads. I recently noticed that they are now listed differently....they used to be listed as x's phone and x's iPad and now are listed as x's iPhone (2) and x's iPad (2). Does anyone know if this means they have somehow bypassed the system or reset their devices??? I have noticed a couple times where in the screentime report it looks like they have somehow accessed something they shouldn't have been able to (like really late at night). I don't have super strict rules or time limits, but they are set to downtime starting an hour or so before they tend to go to sleep....I don't want them accessing devices overnight bc one has sleep issues which I think devices compound. I'm worried that the new activity I am seeing means they are finding a workaround that....:(

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I don't know about the (2) issue, but Screentime can by byassed by them changing the time zone. You used to be unable block them from changing the time zone, but now it looks like you can block that.

I'm sure there are dozens of new ways for them to bypass Screentime. I'd totally just plug them in in your room if you think they are sneaking down at night.

The Screentime report also might just be showing background data, who knows.

There's stuff you can do at the router (ie, turn off wifi to certain devices). But really, putting them out of reach overnight is way easier. Ha.

I used to use screen time to lock them down. But my kid cracked my code...but he figured someway out to get out of it...so we had to go with the stays downstairs as well.

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I'm sure there are dozens of new ways for them to bypass Screentime

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:yeahthat: I found it really frustrating to use. It does sound like the settings got messed up, hard to say if it's from a child working around it or just like an software update so now screen time no longer recognizes the device as the original one. That it happened to both of them at the same time is a bit sus, but who knows...

We started forgetting where we were hiding devices about 2 weeks into the pandemic, we got a safe everything gets locked in at night. The kids revolted so strongly against it (DS initially tried to take it apart) but it's just 'normal' for us now and removed a lot of struggles around devices.

You have the option to ignore screen time for the day. I have to disable it myself most times because I use the iPad to watch tv in bed because we don’t have a tv in our bedroom.

I simply take the devices away when I feel like they have been used too much. I keep the iPad in my room, and will keep the laptop in there as well, if necessary.


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Unfortunately, my kids are too resourceful for screentime limits. I'm sure Google and friends helped them crack that code long ago. I collect their phones and ipads at bedtime and keep them on my bedside table. No one has been brave enough to sneak it away from there yet but I promise, the first thing DS1 does in the morning is come get his phone.

We too take the devices away at night. Most nights we leave them accessible in our room, but sometimes we hide them if we anticipate fighting or the kids don't need to be logged in early for class.