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 personally think it's bad manners to be continually using device or phone at mealtimes whatever age

Go on. Who does that?

We never needed to entertain DD at meals. We chatted to her. However that isn’t the right way, it was right for us. Just as your DD colouring is right for you. Just as people using devices is right for them.

It isn’t about need for me, it’s about choice. Why is a child choosing to use an iPad for downtime not a valid choice?

I honestly find it baffling when people my age and younger (like the OP) act like tech is the tool of the devil. We've grown up with technology developing and changing faster than ever before, and will continue to do so after the pearl clutchers here are long gone. Get over it.

To me manners are about showing consideration for other people so a person telling someone that they shouldn't use a silent ipad to cope with a situation, is the person with the bad manners.

What's 'garbled thinking' about preferring pen and paper over watching Peppa pig or roblox

I wish to god someone someone had given my nephews a fucking iPad the amount of times I have had to sit through torturous restaurant visits with their anti technology parents. I felt very sorry for the other diners, they were allowed to be as noisy and disruptive as they liked but technology was the work of the devil. Only worthy wooden, educational toys were permitted.

My DC were calm and well behaved in restaurants when they were little, a bit wriggly at times and occasionally they were allowed to play on our phones if food was taking a long time. We were lucky, it’s mostly their personalities.

Others aren’t so lucky and require a bit more help in order to get through a meal out unscathed. You have no idea how much screen time these kids have day to day, it might be very little and people do what they need to do to make it through a meal with relative peace.

I agree with you. They are not needed on holiday. We have 4 DC and don't take them out with us or while we eat.

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

Yes, same here actually. People like to make out that everything was perfect and families were better back then, but its just not true.

I love Ipads etc. for kids personally. Though I would not just plonk one infront of them..I would give them it if they asked for it, or if they started getting really bloody whingey as noone wants to listen to twisting kids, not me, not those around me...so IPad is the best solution IMO.

Child friendly restaurants actively encourage colouring by providing paper, crayons etc. So it's not 'illogical' in the restaurant trade

angryburd quite! It always reminds me of the Douglas Adams quote:

Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.

They are not needed on holiday

What if they’re wanted?

I am also not really seeing the difference between colouring and IPad. Both hold the kids attention so not much communication goes on. I have used both of these methods as a way of keeping my kids from annoying people. I have to say generally, DD talks to me more when shes watching something that when shes concentrating a lot to colour in.

My son has severe disabilities and I can see how an iPad would help at times but there is a time and a place for things in my opinion.

My DD is an only child and comes out for dinner/lunch with just adults. It's pretty boring for her after a while and she brings her tablet (she's 8). When she was younger and didn't have a tablet I would bring books or colouring pens etc). When I was a kid I was an only child too and remember getting in trouble for being a PIA in restaurants. I was bored. I'm sure if my family had had access to a tablet, they would have used it in these situations.

Apart from that, she's only allowed screen time at weekends or on long journeys, so I don't see it as an issue. She reads, plays, goes cycling etc, so she's not stuck on a tablet constantly. I wouldn't imagine most of the children you see are either.

*I can promise you that coding is a pretty desperate way to earn a living. Yes it was well paid years ago but stuck in a smelly room with a bunch of blokes on a pc all day and night was no fun!! Also I heard more enlightened attitudes about women from the local building site!! Hopefully it's changed a lot in the last 15 years - probably to the point of not needing humans to do it at all.

Never understand the reverence coding as a career gets on here!*

Well DH is a coder and on 95k plus 50% bonus, not in a basement. And that salary is fairly modest compared to others we know doing the same job.

"They are not needed on holiday."

For some children they will be more needed on holiday because the child is out of their usual routine and because they are having to cope with different and probably busier places.

I like how you complain about technology and huw it should be banned and yet that’s exactly what you used to create this stupid i’m an amazing parent and your not self righteous post. I just find it laughable that you have one child and suddenly your supper nanny and you think you know what’s best for everyone’s kids. Time to get back in your box now.

You can have children who sit still and don't need tech to do so !

You can have children who sit still and don't need tech to do so!

Indeed. I have one. She’s also a sentient human with her own choices which are valid.

If she wants to watch a movie? Why not.
If she wants to play a game? Why not.

"We have 4 DC and don't take them out with us or while we eat."

But if you had one, or two (that loved to squabble) then you might.

You mention 20 years ago. We didn't have people traveling in the numbers, with their children, that we do now, so we really can't make a comparison.

I'm 50. Children seemed so well behaved in the past because smacked legs were the norm. Even if you didn't get them, you were threatened with them. Also had corporal punishment in schools. But as said, dining out, of an evening, with children, was still in it's infancy.

My DD's had Nintendo DS twelve years ago. So did a lot of their peers, it was the start of portable gaming, as well as those Tamagochi pet things.

I can honestly say that it's done them no harm whatsoever. They are now 19-25.

I've never understood why colouring and table games are seen as better. I'd rather have some of the conversations that I hear around me drowned out by Pepper Pig. Why we are always so intolerant towards any noise from children, whilst people chat shit, usually smug bragging shit, is something else I can't stand.

This isn't what's causing Obesity. As for "children should be swimming", some children get overwhelmed (even without SN) and need a break from active play.

"what future are we preparing our children for"

The one that they are going to be living and working in, a tech based one.

I came across a really old parenting book at my parent’s house. It had an entire chapter devoted to ‘curing’ a book-worm child. It also stated that if a mother was too motherly then there was a very real risk of boys presenting homosexual traits. Just boys mind.

Parents can’t win whatever decade we’re in.