"Ipad Kid" ??

Let them complain. Or chat to her and distract her. At that age she should be able to behave for half an hour. My 5 year old can sit quietly through a very dull, very long hour of church without kicking off.

Then people would complain about her whining or becoming silly and irritable. No win situation.

Let her be bored?

I judge kids on iPads while out for dinner, or doing anything in public really. I find it really sad. I stand by that opinion.

I agree. Some are.

But there are also a lot of judgemental people just sticking the boot in purely because they’ve seen a kid on an iPad not because it’s affecting them in any way.

My dd can eat perfectly well in a restaurant and is generally well behaved. But she gets bored. And if colouring and stickers and books aren’t cutting it I will give her an iPad. People looking at me might tut and presume I’m lazy and this is how she spends her days and how she’ll be developmentally delayed blah blah blah. It’s just not the case.

How do you expect your children to learn if you stick them on iPads? They’ll only learn by doing. Children aren’t born with the skills, they have to been taught. You teach them. In the examples here, the parents are inconsiderate to everyone around them.

@TreeCake read my response below. Of course they talk to her ffs! But sometimes believe it or not, both parents and children need a break 🙄

It is your choice to take your child to a restaurant with an iPad playing and no headphones. That’s not ‘being kind’ to other ND children around you who may struggle with noise sensitivity, those who are hearing impaired and those who just want to enjoy a meal without the tinny sound of an iPad playing right next to them.

I couldn’t give less of a shit if other people let their kids go on the iPad while they eat dinner out personally. “Lazy parents” meh, who cares as long as everyone gets to eat in peace? But I agree with others- volume needs to be down. I feel the same about people who talk way too loud.

How did people manage before iPads?

Probably actually had to parent...

if kids are going ballistic in a restaurant take them outside (or go home) till they calm down
why should others have to put up with kids buggering about getting in the way

Literally all the more reason to be speaking to her. Non verbal does not mean non listening. How do non verbal kids become verbal if you don't chat to them?

@StrawberryWater we had this today. Even took my daughters bike and cycled off on it round the garden and kept asking for a chip. Watch your own kids ffs

@LoveFridaynight obviously they do that but the other children need attention and time too and when their younger sister needs constant care and supervision, putting her in front of a screen to calm down and enable them to eat in peace is not the end of the world. She wears headphones she's harming nobody so I don't see the issue

I could give a flying fook if someone gives their kid an iPad as long as the volume is at a reasonable level.

What bothers me more is people who let their kids wonder around the restaurant, going up to people and bothering them (including one who tried to follow me to the toilet!). Or the family that let their child do cartwheels round a busy pub. All of which happened this week while we were visiting family.

That doesn't mean you can't talk to her. My DS is non verbal at 4 but we chat with him all the time and allow breaks for him to "join in" generally he babbles but it's learning the art of conversation. He may never speak but I'm not going to stick him in front of a screen and basically ignore him.

Oh yeah it’s completely unfair to have a loud device blasting out in a public space, don’t disagree with that at all. But there is a lot of judgement simply for using them which I don’t think is fair. Seeing people in restaurants is a very small snapshot of their lives. You can’t assume they’re all disengaged, lazy parents.

The sound factor is there no matter the reason for tablet/phone use. Headphones on and problem sorted or even use without sound. Simple.

You’re quite right. It’s a shame not all children can be impeccably behaved like yours 🙄

It's just so rude and inconsiderate, absolutely certain type of people who behave like this too.
Our children have been taken to restaurants since being babies, we use colouring/stickers on occasion but they behave impeccably (we do have tablets but these are only used rarely, never in a restaurant and always with headphones - e.g. long haul travel) oldest has additional needs.

Twice this week we've been subjected to loud videos being played on long train journeys, and yesterday we left a restaurant without our planned dessert as the table across from us had 3 kids all with a phone each on full volume.

Why should everyone else continue to have their experiences ruined through selfish and inconsiderate behaviour.

Thing is, certain pps have reacted so aggressively to this thread that it’s hard not to jump to conclusions about which side of the line they fall…

@Oioisavaloy27 she's two and non verbal. She won't have a conversation 🙄

Yup, and then they’re surprised when the children turn out the exact same! Like breeds like.

You can do both. We always take books and colouring but will use a tablet as a last resort if she gets bored. It goes away when the food arrives but sometimes long waits can be boring for kids and stressful for parents when you’re worrying what other diners will make of your kids whining.

So much judgement on this thread. There is a big difference between parents who genuinely can’t be arsed with their dc and stick them on a screen for hours a day, and those who may occasionally use a screen to make certain situations a bit easier. And god forbid have a short break.

Exactly. My son is also autistic and the loud noise from a device would upset him - why should his comfort (or anyone else's) be deemed worth less than anyone else's??