Aibu to ask not allow visiting children to use tablets/phones

[sahbear]

I have 2 DS age 8 and 9. Increasingly visiting children turn up with a tablet. My children have limited screen time. I am a bit torn between being unwelcoming by making them leave their device at the door or unwillingly increasing my children's screentime. What do you do? Mostly this is local friends/neighboring children who are not with their parents.

I'm with @ringringringringringring
There is NOT conclusive evidence that screen time is damaging. It's what you do and when. One of my kids does lots of 'creative, collaborative work' with his friends.

But I don't see what the issue is with saying "screens for half an hour then outside". I let my kids have lots of screen time (but they are older) but screen breaks are frequent and mandatory.

It's very depressing that there are posters saying that "children play differently" these days. They do so as lazy parents let them.

Presumably the previous generation who were kicked out at dawn, on their bikes with nothing but sugar sandwiches returning home a'la Enid Blyton style at sunset to paly in the park, woods, go for long rides, kick a ball in the street didn't have 'lazy parents' ?

I have no problem with it. I find they come out of school excited as they want to show each other what they've done on the ipad. They play in the same game together on their own iPads and discuss what they're doing. When it's the reason they want to meet up, I leave them to it.

Hmm about 'lazy parents that let the children play in a different way than before'....

What I have seen is something different. The children do play together but instead oif playing using a tool that was lego or board games, they do it using a game on a screen. They still interact, play together etc....

That doesnt mean that I agree with screens. I think that there is a lack of imagination with screens. And also instant gratification so they don't earn how making an effort and stick to it will allow them to do x and y.

But i have to say, as a child, ive never played board games with friends, esp not at the age the OP is talking about! I was left to my own devices, out in the street playing with other children, going on a bike etc...
Parental involvement was bill.

Awkward if parent is there, but if their parent isn't then I would say something like 'lets play with toys/in the garden. We can play on screens later /at home'