Not to buy iPads for my children?

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They are nearly 12 and nearly 10. Both would like them ("everyone else in the class" has them, obviously. Ahem). I think they should be doing something more interesting with their time, and that the last thing they need to do is loaf around on the internet. Nearly 12 yo would be likely to take root on one, so it would mean arguments about time limits (currently 1 hr per day max on my computer).

FWIW, DH and I have none of these devices (no iPad, no iPod, no smartphone etc), and rather feel that if anyone is going to have one, it should be us before the children.

But are we BU?

We have one iPad to share between whole family of 4. Why don't you try that as a compromise. I wouldn't be surprised if their whole classes do have iPads actually.

It doesn't make a difference whether people say yay or nay, CoffeeTea. I'm just interested to know whether I'm in a big minority or a little one. If that makes any sense.

I think that on MN you're regarded as being somehoe 'virtuous' if you can do without gadgets, food, heating, holidays, car etc.

I think that, properly utilised, technology is a great life enhancing thing and should be encouraged. As long as kids have a couple of other activities that they do, get regular fresh air and don't chat to paedophiles or terrorists online then they'll be fine

BTW OP when your kids come home and say everyone has COD or Grand Theft Auto or a pony or a car or no bedtimes or no chores they are probably fibbing.

If your kids have access to a Mac each then I think they are ok.

I bought one for me but somehow DD now thinks it is her 'yee-pad' and I can't get a look in.

However, it really helps. There are so many apps and she's constantly learning from them. You won't regret it.

On the other hand, if you don't want to then you don't have to

I'm not a fan.
My dc was bought one by the pil's, its presence has caused more arguments than I can count.
Everyone else in my dc's class has a phone apparently. If it's not needed yet, it's not happening. I don't care who has one.

But seriously, how do people afford to buy ipads (£400 plus???) for children, and if the answer is 'it's a Christmas present' - who on earth spends that much on a child's Christmas present ?

The other kids might not be lying and probably aren't. Dd1 insisted everyone in her class had an iphone/smart phone (but mainly iphones) and would be taking them to the school disco, so could I go and buy her one immediately, Tesco sell them, her friend said so

I reluctantly loaned her my smart phone and reminded her that I was not born yesterday and knew for certain that all of her friends did not have iphones.

Her friends not only knew how to turn the data back on on my phone, but used this knowledge to log into their Facebook, take selfies of themselves posing with their iphones with my phone and upload and tag me in the photos. Yes all of her friends. All sodding six of them They took extra special pleasure in taking close ups of the iphone 5s, which I'd guaranteed dd1 that they did not own.

We have 2 family iPads that the boys use. DS2 is currently playing minion rush curled up on my bed while I wake up :) they aren't the boys' iPads, they are for the family (actually one is mine for work) but we are all old enough to be able to share nicely most of the time. Most of the children in DS1&2's classes at school have access to some sort of tablet at home although I don't think many have their own device.

They also use mine or DH's computer for homework but there I am thinking of getting them one of their own.

I don't think you're being unreasonable not to buy one, but I suspect your children will be in a minority group rather than the majority these days if they don't have a tablet at home.

ipads aren't 400, we got one for my mum for 280, the iPad 1 is 50 cheaper.

Hudl tablets are free with enough tesco vouchers, 130 without.

I wouldn't waste money on an I pad for kids tbh. Mine are 6 and 3 and had a hudl each for Xmas. They use I pads in school and can't tell the difference.

Oh - boys are 6&8, neither have any form of phone. They don't need one and won't get one until they are at Intermediate at least.

Rag-if you have children, can I ask how old they are? When ds was about 7/8 I would have scoffed at the idea but I would say the majority of teens I know have at least one expensive gadget be it a phone,x box, tablet, lap top.

Ds often saves his xmas/birthday money and puts it towards a big gadget and we'll buy the other half as his present.

His phone budget is 30 quid and if he wants anything fancier his own money goes towards the rest.

I won DDs iPad (so really it should be mine). I think it was about £350. DD gets £100 on birthdays and Xmas, so no, I wouldn't have bought her one.

However, all 3 girls from DDs class who have been here for play dates have bought iPads with them, two had blackberry's and one an iPhone. We live in quite a deprived area, so it did surprise me, but none of my business.

DD doesn't have a phone because she doesn't go anywhere where she needs one, but she does have my old iPhone without a SIM. When she goes to secondary she'll probably inherit this iPhone, because I'll need a new one by then :)

I can't imagine when I'd be able to afford one for mine. They're not deprived-they use my mum's at her house and have used them at school. They are 9 and 12.

Afford is a relative term obviously-possible I mean prioritize. I prioritize holidays etc over tech stuff. Quite happy to let us all use 2 work lap tops at the moment. When they have mentioned ipod touches I have pointed out it would be their only present from us and grandparents and they've decided against it. Ipads are just out of the question cost wise. Their ds was 2nd hand and they only ask for it on holidays for the journeys.

Ds has a phone with internet barred because I still want to supervise their access.

My toe have iPod touches. Cheaper than iPads and do the same thing. And more portable

My two not toe

The cost thing gets me too. We've never spent lots on birthdays/Christmas presents (never done expensive parties, never mind big presents) - but as defineme says, that's a question of priorities (school fees come before everything in our house, though others would think these were an indulgence/waste of money).

Still musing.

iPads are £400 odd. Mines that retina display one with the stupid lightening charger that doesn't match my iPhone and breaks all the time and was £479. Guessing they've come down by now tho. I got it in July ish. My friend got a mini second hand for much cheaper

Our children have iPads but we would never pay for school fees, clearly our priorities are wrong!

Yabu to ask.

Don't buy them. You clearly don't agree as up you're questioning it. If you want other peoples opinions mine is that it is stupid for a 10 yo to have an iPad. Silly.

YABU unreasonable to wrongly assume children who have them spend their time loafing around on the internet.

I really dont see what the fuss is about. All of my grandchildren have the the mini ones, they are aged 3, 7 and 9. They spend more time playing with their toys and outside in the garden/pool than they do on the Ipads. The other day at my birthday tea they got the Chipmonks to sing the Happy Song to me in Chipmonk, it was worth every baiza spent on them.
MY youngest son has two but then he does have profound special needs and the way his mind works he has one for one kind of entertainment and another for something different entirely. They're nothing more than the gameboy my children had back in the day, its what happens through time, things move on. The arguments, the angst, the smugness from those who havent bought one and it must mean they are the best kind of parent however stays the same.

Don't buy them one then but I would be worried that your kids will be a left behind on the technology side of things. At my kids school they use iPads so your kids would struggle unlike mine who are experts.
I love tech though and believe it's the future so I'm biased.