To find this shocking or should I loosen my judgey-pants?

[bluebellewood]

Visiting my local Coffee shop today I saw a child aged about three sitting at a table with somesort of DVD/ notebook type thing placed about an inch from her face. The child was mezmerised by a leaping, googly eyed,luminous green, computer generated character. The whole time that I was in the cafe she did not take her eyes from the screen.

The parents were enjoying their coffee whilst totally ignoring their child.

What sort of parents think it is a good idea to prevent their child from interacting and engaging with the world around them. To sit glued to a screen even when not at home.

I was so shocked I could have cried for that little girl.

I always play with the sugar.
In a hygenic way, of course.

Sounds like bliss pixel my dd has SN (dev delay and autistic traits) and thats what we have to do if we go out for a meal, or in airport to keep her from making a dash out of the exit, or annoying people with her meltdowns or whining.

bluebellewood- first of all, she may not have been 3, she may have been a young looking 4 yo.

Secondly, for all you know, the mother may not have seen a fellow adult for days and was desperate for some respite

Thirdly, sometimes when you need your child to NOT play up and make loud public scenes, you will try ANYTHING.

Fourthly, you only saw a snapshot of this child's life. She may have the world's best parents, or the world's worst, you can't tell by watching them for a bit in a coffee shop.

Oh dear. See, I would LOVE one of those dvd/notebook type things to keep my 20 month old entertained whilst eating/drinking out

Instead, on the rare occasion I meet a friend for lunch/coffee I have to pack numerous books/toys and tons of food to keep her entertained, so that she doesn't get bored and kick off, and annoy everyone else in the coffee shop.

She DOES get my undivided attention for the rest of the day though, I might add!

My 2 year old plays games on my iPad in coffee shops.

I meet any judgy looks with a smug smile that I have a fail-safe tantrum preventing device and can drink my tea in peace.

Pretty sure I was sat near the OP on a train the other day. OP, do you have a particularly pointed, persistent and judgemental sniff?

YABU, are children not allowed to look at things without parents yammering in thier ears anymore?

If you can say with such confidence that she never took her eyes off the screen for 30 minutes, presumably you never took your eyes off her for 30 minutes? Now that is odd.

Good point herd!

Sounds like rango. so yadbu that game is great.

OP- how on earth do you know what they had been doing prior to the cafe/ computer game scandal?
I don't know what time you were there but they may have just returned from the art gallery, library, park...
You seem very sure of yourself.

OP, are you one of these 'expert-parents' who drag their poor DC from one activity to another and talk NON-STOP in an 'EVERYTHING has to be a learning experience' kind of way?