This probably stems from my annoyance at my mum's criticism of my parenting, but I think she's being a hypocrite.
We have a family iPad, if DD (3.5) has been good she's allowed to play it for a bit before dinner, we have installed 'educational' games on like number and letter games, jigsaws, etc so she's getting something out of it (I think!)
I had my DS 5 weeks ago, so TBF the iPad has come out a bit more since DH went back to work to distract her while I breastfed the baby.
My mum lives abroad, I'll be honest, we don't have a great relationship, one reason being she's very judgemental and critical of pretty much everyone and any conversation with her is so draining as all she seems to do is slag people off.
She rarely comes over as she doesn't like the UK, she's never met DS (and hasn't made any plans to) and probably met DD 6 or 7 times. The main contact we have with her is FaceTime once a week or so.
She FaceTimed yesterday when DD was on the iPad, mum asked where she was and i showed her. DD said hello and went back to her games. My mum tutted and said "she is on that iPad far too much".
What annoys me is that she'll criticise anything at all without having any background knowledge. DD is rarely on the iPad when mum Face Times, as she usually 'calls' early afternoon. What annoyed me is my mum never bothers to see her, so has no idea how often she is on the iPad! I'd had a bad day and very little sleep so snapped "how would you know how often she's on, you never see her". This of course upset my mum, and she continued to criticise saying that when we were little we never had screen time, she always got down and played with us and educated us herself even when there was just 15 months between all of us.
Thing is...she's a bloody liar! I distinctly remember watching the Little Mermaid video 3 times in a row sometimes, we had to get a new one as it wore out! Same with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Kids TV still existed in the 80s and we definitely watched it. She denies this of course 🙄 also mum was never naturally maternal, she admits herself she isn't good with kids, she (in her words) is better with dogs! She gets upset because DD doesnt get particularly excited when she FaceTimes or visits, but it's because my mum doesn't know how to speak with her or play, she's also extremely anal about having a clean house, it was always spotless when we were little. so I can't imagine she'd always be giving us 1 to 1 attention as kids and never plonk us in front of the telly when she needed the time to do other stuff.
Is it just me who remembers 'screen time' being a thing as a child, but instead of iPads it was the TV? I always see modern parents being criticised for it but I'm sure many of those criticising will have done it themselves!