Ban iPads & Tablets For Children

[londonmummyof1]

Is it just me, or does the iPad generation bother anyone else?

We went on a family holiday to Spain with my husband and almost 3 year old daughter, and at breakfast, lunch and dinner it’s the same sight - parents bringing out iPads for their preschool children to sit and watch - while eating!?! This is something I have never seen before and I absolutely do not agree with. I think seeing the scale of the problem during this one holiday shows what a problem this is. The thing is, the children aren’t even given the choice of asking for the iPad or to watch a show, it’s just slapped down in front of them and then they are glued. No interaction, just plugged into this simulated world, at the prime time in their life they are developing their language, speech, behaviour and personality - under the age of 5.

We did not bring an iPad for our child on holiday because we wanted to play in the swimming/splash pool, go to the beach etc and we spent such quality time with our child with memories we will keep forever.

This did not happen 20 or even 10 years ago - what did parents do with their children then? God forbid did they COMMUNICATE with their children at the dinner table?

What is happening to this world? Why not have a conversation with your child or bring a sticker book or story book for them to look at if feeding time is difficult. Every parent has been there with challenging mealtimes, but lugging the iPad around during 3 mealtimes, that’s a minimum of 3 hours your child is in a zombie state of mind, you’re starving them of developing their speech and ability to play by themselves and entertain themselves through play.

Do parents understand that too much screen time is extremely damaging to young children and can pave the way to obesity and development issues later in life?

I feel so passionate about this topic, as I’ve even seen some parents putting their children in pushchairs by the swimming pools glued to an iPad, when they could be swimming and having fun with their parents or siblings.

Parenting can be really tough, but somehow I think government intervention is required as this is such a vicious cycle, what future are we preparing our children for???

Simple alternatives to iPad/Tablet entertainment:

Play doh
Stickers
Books
Playing cards
Colouring books
Drawing

Absolutely BAN iPads & Tablets for children.

I remember seeing kids be shouted at and slapped for misbehaving in restaurants when I was a kid.

I'm all for ipads. Wonderful invention for everyone.

Fucking love iPads for children

But I like my free babysitter!

My child does not chill out for a second. Doesn't stop moving. On holidays we let her have an hour of iPad out of the sun, on a bed, with a drink to wind down.

How the hell do you think the government could intervene? Unless you live in Stasi Russia or Khmer Rouge Cambodia?

I don't think you can un-invent the wheel.

Thanks for the list of alternatives.

I would be very interested to read the peer-reviewed journal articles that give definitive evidence that screen time is bad for children, please.
awaits link that will never materialise

We limit ours. My DM still complains a bit that they have one. Although I remember her leaving me and my siblings in front of the TV for hours while we were kids while she did other stuff. Not that different as he is only watching videos.

I imagine her mother probably criticised her for that and she resentfully thought about all the times her mother left her listening to the wireless...

I know what you mean but I don’t think ipads need to be banned completely. They do have their place, sometimes!
Holidays are a funny scenario as we expect our v young DC’s to stay up late in restaurants where adult conversation is boring and there’s nothing to entertain them.
I do agree that during the day sticking a kid in a buggy with a screen seems strange.
We allowed our DC’s iPads AFTER the meal while we were having coffee. While we were all eating, we would engage with them, however young.

I’m probably in a minority, but I do agree with you to some extent. It’s quite sad really. I visited a friend recently who has two boys under 6. They didn’t look up from their tablets when I walked in, and stayed that way for more than an hour. Sorry to trot out the ‘it was better in my day...’ but we behaved reasonably well in restaurants without technology. We enjoyed time with family and interacted.

Even if I agree with some of what you say your way of saying it is really annoying.

YABVU. You don’t get to ban something just because you don’t like it, and thankfully we don’t live in a country where that would happen.

Yabu.
Whilst ours don't really use a screen much, I can't care less what others do as I have zero idea what else is going on in their life.
I think I'd prefer a relaxed non-judgy parent rather than one who criticises others.

We’ve not got one but not because I agree with you really but I just think I’d be terrible at ‘limiting’ time on it and it would cause more drama than it resolves. I’m too flakey a parent as it is. I think when she asks for one I’ll hide it ago. Flights are pretty painful without one though.

My daughter does plenty of activities and socialising, she also has a tablet which she watches in the evening before bed. She's thriving, bright, inquisitive and has an excellent vocabulary. She's also a live wire so the tablet is used for when she needs to chill out a bit ready for bedtime.

It's not like she's on it all the time, it's used in moderation.

Providing a list of alternatives was a bit condescending, pretty sure I already knew those things existed, as does my daughter.

I think that teaching a child that tablets/tv is the standard daily entertainment is harmful. I’m sure occasional use is completely harmless, but when it replaces what children could be doing, I think it is a negative thing.

Our parents didn't use to tablets to entertain us because they didn't have them, not because they were much better parents. I recall many a fraught shopping trip when I was younger and don't doubt my parents would have whipped out an iPad if they'd had one.

Saying that, I do kinda know what you mean. It's about balance. My dc aren't allowed their leap pads during the week and they earn time on the weekend dependant on their behaviour. If you saw them at the weekend you'd probably think they were glued to them all the time but it's actually earned time. Perhaps some of these families only allow them at the dinner table during holidays as a treat.

And, my own actual experience is that I don't know a single parent who overuses an iPad.

Ps. There's no way you'd get me taking play doh out to a restaurant for entertainment.

Ok, well I will tell the young people I work with they can no longer use their iPads.
I'm sure playdoh will help them just fine to communicate.
Maybe some blue playdoh to say they are hot.
Couple of stickers to tell the woman on the next table to stop staring
Couple of playing cards to ask to do something else.

My kids are only allowed theirs on long journeys, or in places like hospitals etc where you really need them to be contained. It probably looks to onlookers like we don’t chat to them!!

Parenting can be really tough, but somehow I think government intervention is required as this is such a vicious cycle

I love our tablets. They offer so much. Im not planning on taking them away. I doubt the government would try to do that either in our ever changing world. Don't forget that all you see is a snapshot of other people's world's. Its all too easy to judge though eh

Playdoh is banned in my house btw. I can't stand that muck that gets smeared absolutely everywhere. They can do that at school. So go on. Judge that too