Why oh why are people giving their under 12s tablets?

@Bigpinksweater I tend to agree, but really because the long term effects are unknown. Social media gives people rapid dopamine hits, and this was not a thing 20 years ago. Even with video games and online gaming (online gaming started to become popular and more widespread in the late 90s) the dopamine hits are much slower and they are earned.

A massive experiment is being performed on young people. I've noticed that Gen Z people within my family have a serious issue with holding attention. For people of my generation, video games and movies were regarded as something that could easily hold your attention (compared with say, books or homework). But with my Gen Z family members, their attention span is so poor that they are actually incapable of even playing video games or watching movies or TV shows. I never cease to be astonished by it.

The difference between iPads and consoles was that consoles and computer games stayed in the house. Some children seem to be incapable of leaving the front door without an iPad.

Exactly. Many posters are saying this kind of thing. The OP doesn't like to hear it though.

????

I know! What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets, inflamed with wild notions. All because of tech

My ten year old has an iPad as they are very artistic and they use a drawing program to create art. They also use other media to create art. I see this as positive use of technology and creativity, so have no problem with it. She has a very balanced life and does plenty of other things as well.

What she doesn't do is come home from TV and plonk herself in front of the TV, like we used to do as children. She doesn't really like TV much so probably gets less screen time than I ever got. Just a different kind of screen.

I am so uncomfortable with my own phone use. I try to limit it but I experience it physically as an addiction. If for some reason I can't access my phone (dinner party, even just battery died while out) I feel anxious at first and then considerably happier. Like a "why can't I feel like this all the time" happier. Like "oh, this is what the human experience is all about" happier.

I feel like a smoker trying to decide if I should give my kid a cigarette because "I turned out fine" even while I'm looking at the biopsy results.

Perhaps I should take my own advice and sign out of MN for a bit ;)

Exactly! Every young generation has someone a generation or two older wagging their finger at them, and frowning and judging and berating, like their shit don't stink. 💩 And like THEY never used any modern technology of any kind when THEY were young. (Or let their kids use anything!)

The lazy parenting accusations make me LOL. A few Judgy McJudgypants on here. 😆

My experience having more than one child is that not all children find these activities enjoyable, some find them more of a chore. Sometimes children need the breather after school. If they have been sat at a desk for 6 hours they may not want activities like these. They may want to sit and watch a tv programme or play a game to regulate. I have a big age gap with mine, so they do not enjoy the same programmes. One will watch the tv for 20 mins, while my other watches a tablet, while I cook tea.

The children in my family have tablets and their brains haven't gone to mush. They perform well in school. They are educational.

You limit their time and don't let them go on it all day long.

Before tablets it was laptops, desktop PCs consoles etc. Have people's brains gone to mush because of them?

Just another thing for people to preach on and try to sound superior. Because you obviously blindly follow what research says. Have you thought that the reason why they might be bad for some kids because their parents don't supervise them and limit their time?

I don’t think this is correct. I think it’s happening in some council areas, but it’s not universal for the whole country.

I honestly love that my 7 year old can (with supervision) Google stuff she wants to know on the iPad, or ask ChatGPT. She doesn’t just ask me/her dad or her Alexa any more. I think that’s a great skill to have, as technology moves on. She knows where she can find information quickly.

The other day she saw geese migrating and she disappeared down a Google rabbit hole trying to learn about it. That’s a good thing, in my view. No one is going to the library and looking up reference books any more…

The other day I saw a baby lying flat in their pram with an iPad propped up in front of them.

This. ^

Agree with this. When we limit overly limit our ND DC's screen use she doesn't magically become a mature, socially skilled 12 year who helps with chores and goes off to visit friends. She may instead spend hours looking at picture books, graphic novels and drawing - as she craves visual input 🙂

Think they're being issued out gradually across schools. Some already have theirs. P6 onwards. Not sure what areas of Scotland but I think it's to make learning inclusive for all.

Yup all this was said about gaming, tv, music, radio and books at some point or another.

Rotting brains and corrupting the youth.

Awwww, you sound like you're groovy too! 😆

Yes I hate all this extra screen time the schools give. Mine is 5 too and think we'd both rather sit at the table with a pen and paper!
I still refuse to give him a tablet, we just use my phone for it. Some might say that's the same, but I think it's easier to control over giving them their own device with other apps on that will interest them.
I like to save screens for end of the day burnout! 🙈

You are making an enormous leap that my children didn't do all those things. The iPad was one of the things in my bag of tricks to keep my kids engaged but it wasn't the only time.

I used to be judgey like you. Then I had kids and changed my tone and realised that not everyone who gives their kids a screen is a bad parent.

Awww, thanks, I've never been called 'groovy' before. 😆

I'm not the only poster who has said something like this though. And I do have a point. There is always SOMEone who berates - and gripes about 'modern technology' and the effect it has on the kids, when in reality, the effect is minimal.

Times change, technology moves on, get over it. 😎 There's nothing you can do about it!!! Chill yer boots! 👢👢

If it was true!

What do you mean, did they allow it? Did they allow a household to not buy a tablet? What on earth could they do about it??
I’d think very very poorly of a school that only allowed a child to get their house points if their parents bought them a tablet. Not just the screen time thing but financially as well “sorry, no house points for you, your parents can’t afford a tablet”,. We can afford one but it would rule a school out for me being so fucking ridiculous.

Yup