Does anyone else have no tablets/iPads/screens etc for their children?

[WellErrr]

Mine haven’t had screens, ever. And they won’t be until they can buy their own.
However - as they’re getting older, more and more people are pressuring me to get them. Apparently they need them for educational purposes and to not be the odd one out at school. I don’t agree.

But then I got thinking - I don’t know any other children without them. Is there anyone else out there with screen-free children??

"OP I’m sure you were planning on introducing the screen when their school work demand it and when it’s age appropriate right ?"

No - she isn't, she clearly says that "Mine haven’t had screens, ever. And they won’t be until they can buy their own." she has also said that they are not needed to support learning: " 'getting support with learning,'
Such as? I support them with learning. Oldest is a year ahead of where he should be."

She seems to be stuck int his view that screens are the devil and that her parenting is superior because her kids enjoy an outdoor and active life. A if the only choices you have are to be screen zombies or be outdoorsy....

apparently all children who own a tablet don't go outside or play, and are just "sitting still and being boring"

but that doesn't apply to her superior choices of quiet time of needlework - which naturally isn't the same, because that''s completely different to sitting down with fabric, needle and thread on tablet and being engrossed in the pattern puzzle game you're doing...

ENTIRELY DIFFERENT!

most of the experts advise age 8 to get a desktop computer and put it in the busiest living space if you can so you can keep an eye. Since we did, we've gotten rid of tablets and DD is doing projects researching animals and making powerpoints out of them.

One thing I do like is that the internet has endless research possibilities - and of course you are constrained by the quality of the sources but that's a good thing to get them used to, testing the source of the information.

I couldn't have done without tablets for my sanity but I agree they are addictive and under 8s the ICT engagement is probably not for their benefit but mine

I’m a teacher.

I find technology to be much more of a pain in the arse than a help in learning, on balance. I don’t have kids using it in the classroom for many reasons which I won’t bore you with but trust me- in a lesson, it hinders more than it helps.

Most of this has to do with a kid’s inability to use it appropriately, though:

-sleep deprivation from gaming all night
-friendship issues from social media
-accessing inappropriate material and disruption stemming from this
-simple inability to make the damn thing work correctly

A lot of this can be mitigated by teaching your kids to use stuff correctly but this cannot be part of my classroom job, sorry. I have an over-stuffed syllabus to get through.

I would agree with the recommendation of putting a PC in the busiest part of your house so you can constantly monitor and guide what they are up to. There are many things that schools will spend their hard-gotten cash on for your kids to access for support, like MyMaths, and they need to be able to use this stuff. This is what I will be doing with my kids.

I would also make the observation that the children I teach behave much more nicely towards each other in all sorts of tiny ways when they have their phones removed and I think the OP has it spot on with their opinions about the effect of screens on behaviour and relationships.

Parents don't need to know how to do everything that school teaches them. I am sure there are plenty of parents who don't know how to code, that is fine because teachers teach it in school.

probably 2/3 of the people working in IT don't do coding, perhaps more. It's about understanding some key principles at best - the point about screens is to reduce the passive time, not the active time where they are using the ICT as a tool to access learning, creating something (writing a story, making a movie/animation, making songs etc).

I assume you've wrote this message by using a phone, computer or tablet? Why deny them to opportunity to learn a skill which is so useful? Allowing a bit of screen time and carefully picked educational programs is not going to turn your dc in boring children who stare into it and not play. Play of course is vital for development but playing with toys isn't going to give them a basic IT knowledge which they will at some point need.

I am sure there are plenty of parents who don't know how to code, that is fine because teachers teach it in school.

My son who is 17 has never received any IT teaching in either primary nor secondary school. It's a national scandal that whilst virtually everyone else recognises that IT skills are going to be the most important skill in life and careers over the next few decades, schools are just doing what they've always done and not embracing it at all.

We were at a Uni open day and he asked about lack of school IT skills for a computer science degree, and they told him they didn't expect any IT skills at all for the degree because so few schools taught it. They even said that coding plays a tiny part of the course and may not even be touched upon - that's for a Computer science degree at a top UK uni. They start the course assuming no prior IT knowledge which is pretty crazy in this modern age!

My son who is 17 has never received any IT teaching in either primary nor secondary school.

I think that's shocking. It's meant to be part of the National Currculum. Both my DC have been introduced to coding from about age 7.

I don't think not being able to code is really the OP's biggest issue tbh. It's amazing how many people (for example) don't know how to use search engines effectively, create a spreadsheet, format a document ...

@redskylastnight using search engines effectively, create a spreadsheet and format a document is far more basic IT skills than you need for any job either DP or I have had for years and we do not work in IT. Just jobs that require paperwork to be done.

Yes I agree -they should be basic skills - but how can they be if you don't have access to a "screen"?

Surely you learn these basic skills as you do work that is relevant to them? So create a document when you are writing reports or essays. Create a spreadsheet when you are doing basic stats in school. They need to go alongside relevant learning.

OP didn’t claim her kids are superior To yours and it’s rather funny that you don’t realise your kids are too old to be compared to hers and their screen free time.

The entire thread is a response to the OP claiming her children are superior to those that use screens.

It's very obvious that I'm not comparing my children to hers now, given the "Come back in 15 years OP and we can compare notes" comment. Sorry that was too difficult for you to understand.

Surely you learn these basic skills as you do work that is relevant to them?

Yes, but end use of simple programs like word processing, spreadsheets and power point presentations, isn't the issue. They are indeed pretty easy to teach yourself just by usage, as an aside to studying at school or as part of your job, but they're mainly just administrative crutches, so pretty low skilled.

There is a massive skill shortage in programming and design to create programs and apps, data analysis to understand and interpet the output of databases etc, and even bigger skills shortages in the new areas of cyber security, machine learning, robotics, etc.

We need people who are able to take us to the next level and that's completely different from simplistic learning by doing on a spreadsheet etc.

What is the purpose of this thread OP?

I note you asked if anyone else is "screen free". But surely you knew that most parents allow screen time. Did you want to know if you were the only one, just to boost your ego? Or to start a debate? Or to genuinely find other parents that are completely screen free so you could, I don't know, share your reasons with each other (and the rest of MN) on why you don't allow them?

Sorry, I just don't understand what your intentions were?

kazzy But most people will learn low level stuff at school, and those interested will go on to learn higher level stuff afterwards. That is how it works with maths and engineering as well.

Yes all my dc have access to an iPad or phone (old ones of mine and dh and not with numbers)...my children’s school use iPads from age 3 and it forms part of their report.

Personally I think it’s important for kids to have access to these things. As a parent, I monitor what they’re doing, download relevant educational apps (the teachers at dcs school send us suggestions and what they’ve been doing in class) and ensure they’re not constantly using screens..

I think it’s a balance of :

1- boredom and having no access to a quick killer or boredom is actually the only way children learn to be creative. Screen time gives parents and children alike the lazy alternative when things are getting tough and boring. Sometimes being bored is what makes you go outside the box.

2- technology is good in moderation if a person can control their use and keep it for when it’s needed.

To be fair, I think most parents I’m seeing aren’t getting the balance right and are killing their kids creativity, so would rather err on the side of caution and leave it till they’re about 10.

I wouldn’t mind introducing s desktop earlier to do their homework.. but their own iPads I think is unnecessary until they’re around 12/14.

I think the ideal would be a parent that has a specific time in the week - say one hour a week where they teaching about technology and how to use it. Plus taking them to the library to do homework on computers anencephaly so on.

And TV only at certain limited times of the day but not individual screen time. I don’t see the need at all.

What about the children missing on popular conversations and games? My DS has very limited screen time and was puzzled when invited to play PJ masks. This was playing outside with some neighbours children just this weekend. He's never watched it and just stood there looking confused whilst the others played a game. So sometimes I think honestly it's normal to watch tv and doesn't mean your child won't be successful or creative. I think I'm going to relax a little.

I haven't read every post but I can't believe how controlling some parents feel the need to be, especially with some children nearing teenagers! 20 minutes a day tv, educational games only
I'm 34, I had a mega drive from about 8, and played on it a lot, a tv in my room as a teenager, as did all of my friends. This was before mobile phones but we still used to play outside, go out together on weekends as we got older, it really didn't affect us that we played sonic the hedgehog and watched kids tv after school. I went to uni, became a qualified nurse, all after watching tv and playing on my mega drive

My son who is 17 has never received any IT teaching in either primary nor secondary school.

Shocking! Computing is a core subject along with english, maths and science. At the very least it should be taught as much as history, geography, etc. I know some primary schools are dreadful with their computing teaching, but there's even less excuse at KS3 really is there?!

Fortunately dd, also 17y, has been taught computing from reception. She is now studying it at A level, having done it at GCSE.

I teach computing to children from reception age, including pre-coding skills. Our classes have a minimum of an hour a week in the ICT suite, plus additional time using iPads - all with a purpose, and towards the computing curriculum.

I hate them. I wish I had never got them. I took them away (various reasons) and they didn't miss them. Then a friend came round and wanted to see DS2's games. So I got it out again and remembered why I hate them. Mine are 7 and 9.

yes SummerHouse I bought mine a tablet when she was 7 and after a couple of weeks of awful tantrums around it despite setting clear rules I put it away as it was having a really bad effect on her.

You'll find that a large proportion of secondary school homework will be online, so at that point you'll have to make a decision. We seem to be moving away from community facilities having computer access - and in any case that isn't really feasible with daily homework - so you will have to either home ed, or learn to manage screen time in a sensible manner.

My DDs didn't have screens until they were old enough to have social media though. We watched tv with them (only one telly in the house and no-one has one in the bedroom). Very young kids don't need their own devices.

My DC have been told that from September all their homework will be set online and all comunications will be via email. (They've also asked all the children about the devices they have access to, to identify those that will need support while they transition in the new system). I imagine a DC without regular access to "a screen" is going to find this incredibly difficult. Communications are things like last minute room changes so it also needs to be fairly easily checked, going to the library twice a week really won't cut it.