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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:36

My eldest two got laptops when they were 6 and 4 respectively.
One each.
Bought on ebay for £20 each, refitted by my husband.
Both were ecstatic!
They watch no TV, so why is it ridiculous that they go onto cbeebies/mathsisfun etc.. instead of that?

Francagoestohollywood · 17/09/2012 14:36

YANBU

I wouldn't buy buy an ipad or laptop to anyone younger than 14. And even at 14 they can share the family's technology.

Jins · 17/09/2012 14:37

Thinking back there was no ipad equivalent for my two - they had to make do with a shared Playstation

I still rember them playing Spyro - on and OFF the playstation. Hours and hours of running round pretending to be a small dragon. They played Spyro in the same way that they played Harry Potter (the book version :) ) Small children will make a game out of anything

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:38

Why do you assume that in households where there is technology, there is no imaginative play?

The two are not mutually exclusive.

Getting riled is a bit OTT don't you think?

fanjolina · 17/09/2012 14:39

I bought my 2 year old an iPad which she loves. Couldn't give a flying fuck if anyone or everyone else thinks it's ridiculous.

FireOverBabylon · 17/09/2012 14:39

No-one has mentioned the expense of these. I know that my DS will grow up in a more technical savvy world - he has a PC in his nursery classroom - but he has no concept of how easily these things are damaged or how expensive to replace. I remember getting hell for dropping my sister's toy typewriter and have seen my DS trying to bash away on my laptop. I just don't think that younger children have any idea how much tese things cost to replace when they're dropped, have drinks spilled on them. I can see the benefits of using the internet or apps to enhance a child's learning but not on their own piece of kit or by themselves. I'd have to supervise them using a family machine, not give it to them as their own equipment. We just couldn't afford to replace stuff if it were damaged.

thepeoplesprincess · 17/09/2012 14:39

YABU.

Assuming people have the money, then there's nothing to be concerned about in the very slightest

squeakytoy · 17/09/2012 14:39

It also depends on your income and cashflow too. To some families it is not a luxury item, but to others it would be.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 17/09/2012 14:42

Rubbish. Why do people think that you sell your soul to Apple when you give a child an iPad? There are 24 hours in a day, offering plenty of opportunity for schooling, iPadding and running round the park, cycling and scooting, playing with happyland, with dr sets, play food, jigsaws, (toy) musical instruments, reading books...would you like me to go on?

My dd1 doesn't have her own iPad. I am thinking of getting her one for her 5th birthday in Jan if I can find a good deal. Then I might get my iPad back :)

Original poster

MummyGalore · 17/09/2012 14:42

No need for mums to be on the defensive because they've bought their kids a laptop, it' wasn't meant as a personal criticism to those that have, I just wanted to know what others think. This is my opinion, same as you have yours. When i say "riled" its more a figure of speech. You really do have to choose words carefully on here.

OP posts:

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:42

Ipads clearly cost more but an old laptop does not. The prices come down quite quickly!

My two play on them for no more than a couple of hours a week (usually at the same time) and have never broken either of them. They carefully take them in and out of their cases, plug them in etc.. and then put them all back when they're done.

That's because they know they have to, or it will be confiscated.

RubixCube · 17/09/2012 14:42

i bought my dd an i pad for her 4th birthday.Well its not really a i pad but my dds 4 and doesn't know any different.Its a 7inch tablet i got for 90pound.She has learning apps on it and loves it and i now get to mumsnet on my phone in peace She liked playing with it and she also plays with her toys,bike,Skooter and Trampoline

McPhee · 17/09/2012 14:43

I agree

My friend has spent 250quid, yes 250 quid on a tablet for her 8 year old. She has lost the plot, the kid has NO respect for anyone....I wonder why

Too much, too young.....kids have NO business crossing over in to the adult world as much as is allowed these days. What in life is there to aspire to or look forward to next? I asked her what she would raise the bar too next. She of course had no reply.

Yes ok, they use them at school blah blah blah....but access to a family computer to do homework is one thing. Owning one of your own as a child is flipping stupid and imho crap parenting.

Now shoot me

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:43

You have said ' they are starving them of the opportunity to play imaginatively'!

How is this not a criticism?

Francagoestohollywood · 17/09/2012 14:43

An ipad is about 700 euros here. It is a luxury item, surely, regardless of anyone's income. Especially if given to a 3 yrs old.

Thingiebob · 17/09/2012 14:44

Today my 2.7 year old Dd played with a large fire-engine, pretended to feed and ride a stuffed elephant, built a tower from mega blocks, drew chalk pics on the patio, hunted for spiders and helped me bake a cake.

She also owns an iPad.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 17/09/2012 14:44

As for knowing how to treat them, she knows exactly how delicate it is and she knows that if it gets broken then there will not be another. She is utterly trustworthy with it. It can be done.

fanjolina · 17/09/2012 14:44

Young children do know if you tell them Fire. But as squeaky says, it all comes down to cash flow and whether you feel you could replace it.

Francagoestohollywood · 17/09/2012 14:45

I agree McPhee. ANd I say so as an Ipad lover.

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:46

How is Cbeebies the adult world?

I am genuinely wondering why people think that playing kids games on a laptop is different to owning one if the much cheaper, electronic games out there that children can play?

What is the difference (genuine question)?

GwendolineMaryLacey · 17/09/2012 14:48

Crap parenting? . Okaaaaay.

Where does this nonsensical notion come from that we have to buy more expensive things with each passing year? If I buy dd1 an iPad this year it doesn't mean I have to buy her a car next year to keep up. More fool you if that's how you think.

TheCunningStunt · 17/09/2012 14:49

My two share and iPod and have access to laptops and an iPad...also access to games consoles and tv...what's it got to do with you op? They have supervised access to them. They also play outside, with toys, paint, crafts...does that justify it? Of course it doesn't, because it's no ones business.

The only downside is they reckon more should be touch screen

In short, YABU we love technology in our house...DS wants a kindle for his Christmas

DamnBamboo · 17/09/2012 14:49

Agree GML

I have absolutely told my boy he is not having a gold helicopter for his 16th (someone actually suggested on an identical thread last year that this is where you'd end up if you bought them a laptop young)

fanjolina · 17/09/2012 14:51

Couldn't agree more Gwendoline. It's not an increasing pay per year amount for children - mine gets what suits their needs at the time. That may be an iPad, followed the next year by a box of second hand dressing up clothes.

McPhee · 17/09/2012 14:52

It's not what I think.

It's what I've sadly witnessed

Childhood has been squashed with each turning year. Very sad.

Sometimes it takes a person to step back and take a look at the whole picture to realise what's happening.

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