To think we've made a mistake with DS big present?

Fire kids are great for age 3/4 when they’re just starting to use tech, lots of simple little games with no ads on the amazon kids. But when they start juniors and have to use school apps like mathletics they need a proper android or ipad. We only learned this through experience though, you weren’t to know!

Wtf

AFAIK it's difficult to get Google apps on Amazon devices eg firesticks etc. Amazon have their own platform they want used I believe. I'm sure there are workarounds, but personally I'd just get an android tablet

Amazon does not like you to use google apps.

Ahhh ok I know on our sky box it's all on 1 app now, they got rid of the kids app :(

YouTube Kids definitely exists - it's on Google Play.

I think even Amazon know they are crap because when I ordered 2 for my girls they sent 3 by mistake. I contacted them and they said oh just keep it. So I was stuck with 3 shit Amazon fire's lol. My girls got so frustrated with them I ended up sending them back and just getting them an iPad to share

You can change the settings to allow third party apps - google how to do it it’s easy

My sons had a few Amazon fires and then I thankfully got them an iPad instead and was so bloody thankful. So much easier to use.

This is another good reason why Santa should only put small presents in a stocking, with bigger gifts being from you, not Santa! However, I'd return it and get another iPad, and tell DS that you managed to get it swapped because the other one wasn't working.

Kindle is great for kids profiles,pretty easy to set and use.
Having said that,battery life is pretty rubbish (had many kindles for reading) gave up and got a samsung tablet.
Grandkids have kindles to use,can't download anything without swapping to adult profile etc

You tube kids app doesn't exist anymore, you have to use main you tube and set kids profiles

Hi sorry genuine question but what exactly are these effects you see on the children in your line of work and how exactly do you know it’s the tablet that’s to blame? Sorry this is a genuine question and mean no disrespect towards your answer I actually want to know for future reference for my own child :) as we know the way of the world is technology now and wonder how to keep such away from child.. thanks

Re giving my young child a tablet, I do regret it, I never meant to be one of those mums who allows hours of screentime. But he has SEN and he leans so much from it, has taken so much language and knowledge from the things he is watching, and he will learn almost nothing from me and nothing from school. 😭

With the Fire, when we did research on best tablets for kids, the Fire always comes out near the top - the parental controls are their main selling point, and they obviously have a low price point compared to iPads, which makes them so attractive when you don't want to risk an expensive device with a small child.

It's not until you start encountering issues and start googling them that you discover how shit they are, and how shit everyone else finds them and what a mistake they are.

I don't understand those that say YouTube kids is garbage. You can restrict it to specific videos you approve of. We give access to a very small handful of channels we trust, and some extra educational videos as my child's interests change (volcanoes, space etc). I regularly check though most things mine is watching. They have no way of searching or accidentally watching YouTubers or whatever.

Mine also has a kids profile on BBC and I find this more problematic because even though there's lots of great appropriate content, there's no way of blocking programmes.

My 2 year old has an iPad because I knew he’d end up with one anyway as I’ve heard the fire ones are rubbish. Definitely swap for an iPad!

Ah just noticed it's to replace an iPad, yeah unfortunately they aren't like for like

What do you need it to do? Tv and a bit of gaming?

I've found the tv okay but not the gaming

You can't beat an iPad but they are more expensive, would the Amazon one not do for first tablet?

That is as may be, but bullying a stranger on an internet forum is not going to change anything. I was asking what the specific nasty posts about OP’s parenting were hoping to achieve?

Are you genuinely bragging about being smug?? Says a lot about you.

My DH is in his mid 40s, he's from a time where there were no screens for kids. He still isn't big on reading. I am late 30s, also no screens as the norm as a kid and am an avid reader.

We're both also quite tech savvy, despite not having them growing up. I know people of the same ages as us who can't use tech to save their lives. And I've worked with 19 year olds who can't figure out how to use a printer or even put a laptop into a dock.

Kids being exposed to screens or not doesn't necessarily impact whether they read or know how to use tech or not. Other factors in their upbringing also play into it.

'If there is no debate, what are you trying to achieve, exactly? It has all been said before. There is nothing to be gained other than your own self-satisfaction.'

It's exactly like someone said earlier, giving screens early affects all our kids. See the pressure on kids to get smartphones so early. 9 year olds being shown violent porn on play dates and sleepovers. When they have tablets from a young age, it all adds to it.

'how people parent their children will end up affecting other kids. I don’t want to send my son around to his friends houses because some of them seem to have unfettered YouTube access, or all they want to do is play Fortnite. If I invite them here, they seem to find it boring if gaming isn’t an option.

I’m a teacher and do find it frightening how screen time has affected attention spans, dominated conversations and brought up so many safeguarding issues. And I’m in primary.

So sometimes, how others parent their children does affect a wider society.'

I am actually massively smug that my kids didn’t have screens except watching telly until year 6 yes. Not sure it is a coincidence that they were voracious readers. Ditch the screens! You’re in charge you can just do it. Then you can feel pleased with yourself too.

I never alleged any equivalence. I merely pointed out that another downside of internet-based activity is that it enables people to shout loudly with unsolicited advice and strident opinions, and some are addicted to the buzz that gives them. Perhaps you’re relaxed about your children displaying such behaviour when they are adults.

If there is no debate, what are you trying to achieve, exactly? It has all been said before. There is nothing to be gained other than your own self-satisfaction.

A 50 year old giving their view online is simply not equivalent to giving the under 10s their own screens 🙄. Obviously. Nor is it “bullying”. You’re lashing out because you know we’re right. The research has been done on this it’s not even a debate.

They will become screen addicts eventually why bring that date forward? Let them have a childhood.