WHAT ARE OUR KIDS REALLY WATCHING?

Keen to know more about what her kids are viewing online, writer Rachel Tompkins, 45, shared their screen time for a few days

- WORDS: RACHEL TOMPKINS

We all know that children shouldn't have too much screen time.

However, as any parent will testify, limiting it is easier said than done! As a busy working mum-of-two I'll admit that my boys Rory, 12, and Seb, nine, have too much of it.

Recently I read that 4% of TV screen viewing time for children aged four to 15 is actually YouTube, with more viewing taking place on laptops and phones. And that only 55% of children aged four to 15 watched broadcast TV each week in 2023, compared to 81% in 2018, according to Ofcom.

It's a world away from my childhood. Growing up in the 80s, me and my sister Louise would race in from school to watch Blue Peter and then Neighbours on the (only) TV in the living room. In contrast, my boys rarely watch what I call 'normal' TV. Instead, they are obsessed with various YouTubers who speak at breakneck speed about all kinds of drivel, yet seem to have my boys and all their friends entranced!

Keen to understand more about what they're watching, I immerse myself in their screen viewing for a few days and the results really surprise me...

DAY 1

Walking into the living room I find Seb laughing as a very loud, fast-speaking Englishman's voice blares from his iPad. 'What are you watching?' I ask, snuggling up next to him.

'Chuff!' he replies, barely looking up. My first thought is, 'Surely that can't be his real name?' Apparently many YouTubers don't disclose their name - and this one calls himself Chuff and his YouTube channel 'Chuffsters' has over 1.1 million subscribers.

Sitting next to Seb I'm soon engrossed in a clip titled 'Funniest football shorts'. This is a collection of videos, a bit like a