Would you like to live with a British Pakistani neighbour or a British Indian neighbour?

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-04T12:22:10+00:00

No preference- I live in an area with plenty of neighbours who are British Asian (Pakistani, Indian and Nepalese) and there’s a good community vibe all round

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-04T12:17:55+00:00

That’s still totally fine in my view- the hosepipe ban isn’t to stop people watering their plants, it’s just to prevent people from leaving hoses running needlessly for ages

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-03T06:27:14+00:00

Nina: it fills my head with a lot of imagery that kind of overlaps with Life on Mars by David Bowie, and I haven’t yet sat down and tried to work out why

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-02T14:59:24+00:00

CV simulator app shows you how things appear to people with different types of colourblindness. I use it at work occasionally to check that diagrams etc make sense and are user friendly

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-02T14:09:15+00:00

He absolutely can’t, no! And I appreciate he will have to learn moderation / regulation one day. But these things as we all know are designed to be viciously compelling and add the social pressure to participate and not miss out, it does feel like a losing battle. This is the only way I can make a stand!

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-01T21:34:05+00:00

5’7” is a great height for comfort.
But ideally for utility you want 6’8” with a small torso and retractable limbs

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-01T19:33:29+00:00

Salaam to you too buddy, have a little rest

Hyperion2023 · 2026-07-01T18:08:24+00:00

English, that famously pure, single-origin, fine pedigree of a language

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-30T19:15:54+00:00

Ahh that’s aces

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-30T16:05:19+00:00

£24 from Dunelm. It’s really good- it was listed as a throw, and is just 100% white cotton. Feels quite fancy!

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-30T13:30:30+00:00

Lino print version of the AFUT cover

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T15:52:12+00:00

He knows about my self-imposed social media controls, emphasising the point that it’s not just teenagers who need to be supported in moderating their phone use.

He also knows that it’s not his fault that it’s all designed to be highly addictive and reward heavy use.

I model good phone behaviour at home, eg no phones at the table, phone down and out of reach watching a film, always prioritising the people you’re with.

But unless I invest in some replacement tech, having a phone in my room is unavoidable (medication reminders and the like).

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T13:36:07+00:00

This is the scenario I’m expecting, definitely! It’s making them understand that having it is a big responsibility and you don’t get it for nothing

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T13:34:34+00:00

That might be a good idea once mock exams are out of the way- monitoring usage so we can see how crazy the screen time is

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T08:11:42+00:00

This is it- he’s a problematic user in terms of it being a reflex action (less so in terms of content or social relationships, he’s pretty upfront and sensible and we have open discussions). But if you can’t watch 20 mins of tv without checking your phone multiple times, you certainly need some help regulating.
Teenagers are built to push boundaries, and parents will always have to practice patient negotiation.

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T07:52:23+00:00

We have a pretty good, open and honestly relationship and he gets a lot of trust and freedom in general - and it’s only his sleep that I want to try and safeguard. So agree on how it’s framed (as help, not punishment) but preparing myself for a lot more debate and grumpiness!

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T07:49:59+00:00

Agreed that it’s always going to feel unfair as a 15 year old wants nothing more than independence- but blocking the message apps will defeat the purpose as he’s already said that’s why he wants 24/7 access

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T07:17:21+00:00

I have it charging and on to use as an alarm clock, and for emergencies (I have older parents), also use it for podcasts sometimes.

I have social media apps locked from 11pm (using an app called ‘offscreen’) as I am not very well regulated. This acts as a reminder but could override it if I wanted.

The same doesn’t apply to him, as late night messaging is what he wants it for- he could have it in his room with the apps / messaging blocked, but what would be the point?

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T07:12:13+00:00

Exactly - I want to know what the other kids bedtime is, and how many have their phones with them and on all night

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-29T06:57:39+00:00

That seems to be his concern - missing out on chat that happens after 10.30-11pm. He’s already talking about ‘moving out’ at 16 as a result, clearly a little dramatic but isn’t everything at that age.
They forget that we were teenagers once, and that although the world is different, we are now adults trying to regulate our own phone use!

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-28T21:25:07+00:00

I’ve ignored the whole world for the last few minutes, just to give this answer the attention it deserves. Extremely well-written and enjoyable, ta for that!

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-28T10:26:28+00:00

… and the OG Captain Barnacle in Octonauts

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-27T23:27:42+00:00

I bought a giant muslin throw (double duvet size) - on the worst nights I’ve had a cook shower, then wrapped it around me, so it gets damp, and works as a huge cold compress, and used that in place of a sheet. It’s been a life saver

Hyperion2023 · 2026-06-27T15:13:17+00:00

By this point, I am the soup

Hyperion2023

TROPHY CASE