Screens in rear seats - AIBU?

[GinDaddyRedux]

My DW and I are looking at two examples of the same car. One has rear screens built into the headrests, the other doesn't ( but has some extra speakers and functionality that I'd love ).

DW makes a fair point that because we regularly do journeys of 5 hours + each way, with two young DCs it would be nice to have screens.

I think we don't need them at all. We don't currently have them, and for me it just introduces yet another place in our lives where a screen will be clamoured for because it's literally staring them in the face.

AIBU here to gently object? My DW tends to win most arguments as she is the most rational and the centre of our house but I thought I'd throw it out to the forum.

FYI would be the first time we've had screens of any sort in the car.

We had screens in the cars we had when my kids were younger. They actually made them less likely to feel carsick. They were a godsend.

Both screens can only show the same DVD, so then you get the argument about what is going to be played.
You have to buy DVD s to play, so you have to store them somewhere, they get scratched, they are more expensive, there are fewer and fewer educational options these days versus downloadable options
The most important point IMHO is that if the system is built in, it uses the car speakers. So you have to listen to it. If they have their own devices, you can deploy headphones for the dc and listen to your own music/have the driving directions going etc.

No idea what that's all about. We had them 15 years ago and they were built in, one in the back of each headrest and a flipdown. They operated independently, each kid could watch their own DVD and they had bluetooth headphones paired to each unit so noone else in the car had to listen to anyone else's stuff.

I can't believe all this would have gone backwards to what you describe. Our next lot had a jack where you could connect devices in also. Not sure what's about now as we didn't get them in the next 2 lots of cars we have had as kids got older and it was only for when they were younger on really long trips. No point when older, they just stay glued to phones irrespective.

Id just buy a bracket and then they can use tablets.

What's wrong with playing I-Spy?

What's wrong with playing I-Spy

where we are its very boring viewing
oh look paddock
Oh look another sheep or cow
ohh a tree
ooh road kill
and repeat

Sounds like a recipe for travel sickness.

There are plenty of things which don't involve screens to occupy young children on long car journeys- how do you think parents have managed until now?

There are plenty of things which don't involve screens to occupy young children on long car journeys- how do you think parents have managed until now?

I heard "shut up or i will pull over and leave you on side of the road" a lot
Just because parents of the past managed, dont mean we should follow their footsteps if we have an easier, more entertaining path

I wouldn't criticise you if that's what you'd choose, I just wouldn't do it myself.

I wouldn't bother with the screens. You can give kids stuff to do in the car. You can even give them screens if you want to.

We are a very low tech family. Our kids would be lucky to watch 20minutes of cartoons a week plus a movie night on the weekend but the car we bought happened to have a built in DVD player and on long trips we have used it.

For our kids it's pretty special though as we have such limited screen time at home. Our technology consists of a TV, a DVD player, a laptop and our (my H and I) phones. We don't own any Ipads or devices.

I wouldn't make it a deal breaking item but it is handy when the kids are grumpy and tired after a long day out (neither of our kids have ever slept in the car).

Your kids don’t need screens. If you don’t want to buy them, put your foot down

Just something else that will break and cost loads to fix

No to screens. It's good for children to be bored and gave down time. It's when imaginations work, it's how they develop patience.

I truly detest the shove the children in front of screens to keep them quiet mentality.

I heard "shut up or i will pull over and leave you on side of the road" a lot

LOL me too. God I hated long journeys.

I think we're bringing up generations of children who will struggle to learn to drive. They don't develop roadsense if they're staring at screens all the time (or even reading all the time). My neighbour's daughter didn't even know that we in Britain drive on the left as she had always been given a screen to keep her 'quiet' and had never been encouraged to watch the world go by. Had no idea about road signs or road markings and found it baffling that she had to know so much for her theory test when she was finally old enough to drive.

Mind you, she now plays her music so loud but has the door open as it's too loud with it shut. So we get blasted with it too She has been thoroughly spoiled.

Well surely your DW won’t notice which kind you buy, she’s too busy standing in the middle of the house holding the ceiling joints up (I assume. Don’t actual know what being the focal point of the dwelling involves...)

I think we're bringing up generations of children who will struggle to learn to drive.

As I said up there, we had a built-in DVD player in our cars. My two teens passed their tests first time. Between them they've been driving for four years with no accidents, tickets or any other problems.

Buy attachable ones, that way you can control when they are available for use or not ie. long journeys. And you can wait until there’s a really good deal on them.

It makes me feel sick to even think of it!

If most cars last (say) 15 years, surely the screens will be horrendously obsolete long before the car expires?

You're better off spending the money on some clip on tablets that are not only cheaper but can be used outside the car, and upgraded at a later date.