To not want my ds to have a ds aged6

[Chippychop]

Or do I give in? He has our phones and iPad to play with. We are quite strict at saying enoughs enough and the tv gets switched off after so long etc etc but he still gets away with watching 'something' in the car or when we are busy. Do I just let him have his own bit of tech?

Just realised I said ds and ds. I the same line... Hope you can translate....

My DS has had a DS since he was 3.

But YANBU, your kid your rules.

My ds2 had a ds lite from the age of about 3.5 and he loved it. It even helped him learn how to read when he was doing the puzzle games Look out for SuperScribbleNauts very good puzzle game.

Both dcs have ipods now as the games are cheaper and they can listen to music too. As long as they're not glued to them constantly they're not a problem and they're great for car journeys and waiting rooms.

My dd had a dd aged 3. Could be quite difficult sometimes: recollect the time she just had to stop outside that pub in Portsmouth and change the lo's nappy in the flowertub. So not, I'd clamp down.

I think they tend to grow out of them by around 7 or 8, so probably a waste of £. I felt the same as you and decided to just hang in and get DS an iPod touch when he was 9. It's fabulous, a camera, video camera, game can look stuff up on the Internet if he asks first, he can buy the games with pocket £ and has the beginnings of an OK music collection. I said it had to be from everyone (all Granny's, uncles & us etc) for his birthday and I always have to say what he can and can't do with it. It's been the best present ever actually, the threat of removal gets any task done double quick and I only had to put £30 in towards it

I said ds could have one when he was 8, we gave in at 7. Nightmare at first, his birthday was in the school holidays and he was on it for hours. We now limit it to weekends only, he has lost interest a little so it isn't a battle to get him off.

Completely your call.

I was worried when DD1 wanted to give DD2 her ds (disclaimer: DD1 is 21 and DD2 is 6!) for a christmas present. She hardly really uses it, she had the nintendogs game and some zhu zhu hamster madness. I was worried she would want to be on it all all times, but not at all. The same with the wii (also from DD1) We only have one game, a scoobydoo one that is pretty child friendly, she only ever wants to play it when someone plays with her so no anti-social tech geek children here.

Depends on the child & how strict you are willing to be about limiting use - I refuse to get DS1 (6) one because given half a chance would be a total tech addict & I know he would sleep with the bloody & lose all interest in going out on his bike/playing in the garden/beating up his brother etc. As it is we've had to restrict the Wii to Saturday only as I got so sick of him pestering me everyday (painful initial few days but he never even asks now) and I just couldn't face adding another gadget to the pile plus, whilst I absolutely agree it would be a godsend in certain situations (airport etc) I do see so many families out in the park at restaurants with parents talking & kids glued to ds and totally judge do wonder if pre-ds they would have just talked

Ds1 is 6 and I didn't want to buy him one but he wanted one so we told him he could save up for one. Pocket money from grandparents, earned pocket money and birthday money from various people meant he had enough to but one. He can go a couple of weeks not playing with it but will then play with it for a little while each day for a week or so, then not play it again for a while.