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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that IPads/laptops for younger children are just ridiculous

424 replies

MummyGalore · 17/09/2012 14:19

I don't know if this has been covered before as not on here often so sorry if so.
But AIBU to be getting increasingly riled/concerned with the amount of mums who are talking about getting their children (I'm talking under 10s but some i know are buying them for children as young as 4!!!) Ipads and laptops for christmas. It riles me as i think that they are starving their children of their opportunity to learn through imaginative play. Simple toys are the best at that age, surely ipads are not a good option especially at 4.
What do others think?

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 17/09/2012 14:21

I would disagree.

We have moved on with technology, and our children will be growing up in an era where technology is vital in everyday life.

I have a friend whose 3 year old has great fun with the age appropriate games on an iPad. He can read, he can draw on it, he can play educational games, it helps his motor skills.

WelshMaenad · 17/09/2012 14:22

Are you being forced against your will to buy an iPad for avfiur year old?

WelshMaenad · 17/09/2012 14:22

*a four year old

WorkedformyParents · 17/09/2012 14:22

But you can do so many things on an ipad - there are so many aps. Children need internet access for homework, my eldest is 7 and has already looked stuff up and played some games the school recommended and has been having IT lessons since P1.. I couldn't afford an ipad but I certainly don't have any issue with them. Why do you think they're not imaginative?

Prarieflower · 17/09/2012 14:23

A screen is a screen-phones,tv,DVDs,Dsi, etc.None are better or worse imvho.As long as all screen time is limited or they're used in emergencies I don't see the problem myself.Balance is what is needed.

GangstaGranny · 17/09/2012 14:23

Friend of mine bought her DDs laptops last year for Christmas. Eldest DD (9) took laptop on trampoline! She is now using all her pocket money to pay to have the damage fixed! I feel justified in saying mine are still to young at 9 and 7

lljkk · 17/09/2012 14:24

To me it suggests more money than sense. I was raised to think of rough & tumble as good things, and expecting a small child understand the fragility of electronics is risky & not fair on them. But I wouldn't say stifles imagination.

Inneedofbrandy · 17/09/2012 14:24

What is it to do with you, what other parents buy their children? YABVU

TubbyDuffs · 17/09/2012 14:24

My children have iPads, we travel a lot (on about 10 flights last year) and they truly saved my sanity when sat around at airports.

Mine aren't on them all the time, but they are great for car journeys when we have exhausted I Spy.

My children are very active and also computer literate, I don't think the two have to be exclusive.

BobbiFleckman · 17/09/2012 14:25

squeaky - there's one thing a 3 /4 yr old being given ltd / supervised access to these gadgets and quite another buying a toddler high tech toys which they're left with unsupervised. Learn how to use and develop skills, but not at the expense of physical / imaginative play. I've noticed that they're also used as the mobile babysitter in restaurants - out yesterday with our 3 & 5 yr old who can actually hold a conversation over the table, while most of the other children in the place were glued to iPads / iPhones and might as well have been at home.

soapnuts · 17/09/2012 14:26

YABU - they are fantastic for controlling what they play and watch. I travel long haul frequently with my DS (3) and the rubbish they have on the plane is awful - most of it is totally inappropriate and the rest is ancient tom and jerry bashing over the head type things. With the ipad I can have some educational apps (and some fun ones) and some of his favourite (and appropriate!) tv.

Of course I also have things for me on there and I do think that I wouldn't buy one for a child to own themselves so you're not BU on that front! But to have one that they can use is brilliant. and as others have said, if they aren't allowed to use such things these days, they will be left behind.

wineandroses · 17/09/2012 14:27

I wouldn't buy an ipad or a laptop solely for a small child as they are too expensive and too easy to damage. However, my DD (7) does use DH's ipad and our laptops (supervised). She is very good at finding information for school projects etc, and she plays lots of games on them. I find her play pretty imaginative actually, and enjoy playing games with her.

FerrisBueller1972 · 17/09/2012 14:28

After intervening when my ds and his friend started playing some 'rough and tumble' this weekend it did not prevent a snapped collarbone. You can shove rough and tumble up your arse and give me the ipad/ipod anyday.

I hate seeing kids encouraged by parents to play wrestling/play fighting etc

Yamyoid · 17/09/2012 14:29

We got our ds a small, cheap, reconditioned laptop for his 4th birthday. I was unsure but dh was worried he was wrecking the proper laptop. We thought it was important for him to be familiar with technology, as another poster has said.

His time on it is limited, as with tv. But at least it's interactive and can be educational. He loves the cbeebies website.

Prarieflower · 17/09/2012 14:29

Gangsta my dc have had laptop time from 4 and never damaged anything.

The stuff my dc do at 8,8 and 7 I'm amazed at.Ds did some programing last night,day before he got some piano keys playing the Harry Potter song onto his Dsi.We then found him at the piano,playing said Dsi,writing down the notes which he then proceeded to use to play the song on the piano.

All 3 of mine are avid readers,play the piano,are outdoors a lot.They have screen time roughly 3X a week and it's highly educational.To be honest I think kids kept away from tech will miss out.

nokidshere · 17/09/2012 14:30

YABU

Like it or not technology is our childrens future. Having it at their fingertips wont do them any more harm than when we got all the latest "gadgets" 40+ years ago. (I remember having to have my etch a sketch prised from my hands at bedtime) lol

I have two boys of my own and I childmind a total of 12 children (not all at once) Every one of them - from the two year old to the 14 year old - is able to use all the items available to them. Whether that be mobile phones, ipads, computers - they are all technology literate.

But, it has not stopped the imaginative play at all. They would still rather be in the garden than on the gadgets, they still make up games and play together on bikes, scooters and the like, and they still have books and fantastic dinner table converstaions. I don't impose restrictions on them particularly, children are generally self regulating. But if there is any hint that they have been on a pc or other thing too long then I step in like every normal parent.

Nor has their behaviour got any worse because they are exposed to technology. Its just a part of their lives and will always be.

Saying that its detrimental to them is a bit like saying that we dont know what real work is now that we have everything electronic - I mean washing was much more fun when we used a twin tub and a mangle, wasn't it??? NOT!

Original poster
MummyGalore · 17/09/2012 14:30

I appreciate that technologies have changed (I work in IT) and i can see how they can be an aid to learning in supervised situations. I just cannot get my head around a 4year old receiving an ipad as a present. I think they are a useful learning aid for older children but for younger i can't get away with.
inneedofbrandy - there would be no such thing as mumsnet if we all minded our own business Wink

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 17/09/2012 14:32

I am 42, and I expect there was a generation before me that saw the Etch-A-Sketch as being too much too young for a 3 year old in 1973 Grin

Aboutlastnight · 17/09/2012 14:32

It's not either/or. Everything in moderation.

Also there are fantastic apps for children with speech and communication difficulties, technology is a wonderful thing for children with SEN.

Jins · 17/09/2012 14:33

What do others think?

I don't think it's worth getting riled about what other parents choose to do for their children.

Prarieflower · 17/09/2012 14:33

Mummy depends if you're loaded tbh(we're not).Also maybe they don't buy anything else all year round.

Glittertwins · 17/09/2012 14:34

I would not buy my children an iPad each however they use ours a lot and we bought the second one so that they could both use them at the same time to do different things.

There are lots of really good apps that can help them learn all sorts of things - atlas, spelling, reading, simple maths and times tables for example.
They play on the iPad then they do something else, it's not a problem.

Vagaceratops · 17/09/2012 14:35

YABU.

Why do you care if my DC's have laptops (and my 11 yo and 5yo do).

What does it matter to you?

Aboutlastnight · 17/09/2012 14:35

But have seen footage of 18 month old trying to 'swipe' a book as yu would an iPad Grin

I would rather focus on the possibilities of this fabulously intuitive technology it enriches my children's lives in the same way that camping or exploring the woods or reading books or playing imaginative games does.

Vagaceratops · 17/09/2012 14:35

DS1 has a kindle and DS2 has an Iphone to play with too.

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