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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if anyone’s child doesn’t have or use a tablet?

51 replies

Peanutbuttercupisyum · 21/03/2021 13:17

Just wondering - my children (3 of them, all girls, aged between 9 and 5) have never used/played on a tablet at home. I think they do some stuff at school occasionally, and during lockdown I set them up with their live lessons but other than that, no. It’s not that I’m being smug or have an aversion to technology or anything - I mean they love a Netflix series or a film, it’s just I’ve never seen a need? I’m lucky in that they all play together and never seem bored, they’ve never asked to and tbh I suppose I find it a very solitary, kind of absorbing thing to do which may not have a place in our family dynamic? And also people I know whose children use a tablet seem to ask for it a lot which looks quite annoying. I don’t feel like they’re behind in technology use as they certainly seemed to know their way round the system during lockdown live lessons, and their friends don’t talk about it all at school or anything. Just wondered if anyone else was the same? Couldn’t ask in real life as I’d look smug or virtuous I think

OP posts:
Troublewaters2021 · 21/03/2021 13:20

I wish 😂 I am aware my kids use gaming way too much !

B33Fr33 · 21/03/2021 13:21

My youngest is 5. Obviously doesn't have or use a tablet. My older ones got theirs when they started secondary school. But YABU to be smug . Most kids aren't that fussed about tech.

helpmum2003 · 21/03/2021 13:21

My dc got one age 14 and other dc age 18 doesn't have one. I'm very concerned by the large amounts of leisure time young kids spend on IT. Clearly home ed is different.

AlohaMolly · 21/03/2021 13:24

DS is 4 and he doesn’t. He uses one at school apparently and he definitely watches a lot of tv so not screen free. I occasionally let him play games on my laptop so not tech free either, I just don’t see the need for him/us at this age.

Slightly unrelated, but before I had him I was a primary teacher and taught mostly nursery aged children, 3-4. I had two year groups on the trot where the vast majority of children could operate the tablets in class better than me, but my TA and I had to get on the floor and teach them how to play. I absolutely think there’s a time and a place for tech but I didn’t want DS to be like that.

Original poster
Peanutbuttercupisyum · 21/03/2021 13:24

@B33Fr33

My youngest is 5. Obviously doesn't have or use a tablet. My older ones got theirs when they started secondary school. But YABU to be smug . Most kids aren't that fussed about tech.
Well that’s what I kind of thought but then I’m always reading on here people saying as a punishment or or a reward “earns more time on tablet” or “take away their tablet” as if it’s like an amazing thing in their life?
OP posts:
AlohaMolly · 21/03/2021 13:25

Oh just to add that he is very much the outlier in his group of friends as according to parents they all have tablets, so I expect to be fielding requests for one as soon as inside play dates are allowed again

arethereanyleftatall · 21/03/2021 13:25

Mine didn't at the age either, also girls. Round my way, this was totally normal for the girls, but most boys had them by 9 as they were in to mine craft or whatever. Around 11 I think my girls got phones.

Rumplestrumpet · 21/03/2021 13:26

Ours are 5 and 1. No tablet yet but we're buying on for her 6th bday. Mostly because she likes watching songs and playing BBC bitesize games, and I'm sick of her using my phone to do it.

Also I think it's easier to out parental controls on - she'll only be able to access pages and YouTube channels we specify. And we'll put timer on it so there's no battles over how long she can use it for. Half an hour before dinner is fine with me.

I think it makes a big difference that your kids have each other to play with. Ours has been so bored the past year with no one to play with and me so busy with a new baby, so has watched way more screens than pre-Covid.

Camomila · 21/03/2021 13:29

We used to have an ipad, and when it broke last year we didn't replace it.

DS1 (almost 5) watches tv, uses a laptop for school, and plays a bit of playstation with DH at the weekend if he's been good.

We are considering getting him a kids kindle/tablet as his school reading books are online and the laptop isn't as nice to read on.

NoGoodPunsLeft · 21/03/2021 13:32

DD got one for her 8th birthday, the novelty soon wore off. She plays on it occasionally now but she prefers watching tv.

FakeFruitShoot · 21/03/2021 13:36

My 9 year old (in yr 4) got one for Christmas. She likes it but it's limited for 90 minutes per day. She plays Roblox mostly. We don't have a family tablet or anything so it's her first time using one. I am happy for her sister to get one slightly earlier - perhaps for her 8th birthday.

Whoscoatsthatjacket · 21/03/2021 13:42

Mine are 7 and 5 and both have iPads. They’ve been a godsend during lockdown and have been a big help with the homeschooling as all their school reading books have been online. I don’t let them play just anything though.
I’ve recently downloaded some maths apps for them.
Now they’re back in school they only really have them on a sat and sun morning so I can lie in 😁
I think they’re great in moderation x

Superstardjs · 21/03/2021 13:44

Mine was given one for her 10th birthday by gps. She didn't want one and has barely used it the last 5 years. She's not sure what to use it for, really, so doesn't bother.

AnaisNun · 21/03/2021 13:44

Nope. 4 and a half year old is already addicted to TV. Can well imagine the nightmare we’ll have with tablets etc so putting it off as long as poss.

SoWhyNot · 21/03/2021 13:46

Tablet use in our household is almost purely education - school lockdown and isolation lessons are via one and then the school books for reading, phonics play sessions and Mathletics etc are on one. Eldest is Y1 though so still of an age to not really know any better.

VestaTilley · 21/03/2021 13:47

YANBU.

They absolutely don’t need them and I don’t see the value. We have a nearly 2 year old DS and he’s never been on one. Ever. Long may it stay that way.

DH has an iPad for work but doesn’t have it out around DS.

Lazypuppy · 21/03/2021 13:50

My dd is 3 and uses my old tablet to either play games or watch netflix.we love it as means she doesn't take over the tv all the time with her shows, she can sit and have some quiet time while we do as well.

Troublewaters2021 · 21/03/2021 14:02

My DS earns his own money via gaming now😂 I don’t regret it ! He does however also play rugby and polo.

whyhell0there · 21/03/2021 14:07

I have one child who is 6 and he doesn't have a tablet. He's obsessed enough with TV, so I think a tablet would just make things more difficult! He uses one at his grandparents' house occasionally though.

His cousins, who are aged between 2 and 10, all have one.

Handsnotwands · 21/03/2021 14:08

Ours are older, 9 and 11. I think
It’s absolutely essential for them to be technology savvy, which includes educating them on overuse etc but equally being aware of everything on offer to to them to enhance their lives.

They’ve been a godsend over lockdown, allowing them to play and interact with their friends. I love technology and all the enormous benefits of sensible, informed use

KingdomScrolls · 21/03/2021 14:10

No, DS does watch a small amount of TV but I've never let him use my phone and he has no need for a tablet, I didn't think I'd have to explain that at 2.5 but lots of other children his age do have them. We've never seen the need. If he needs one for school work of course we will get him one. We dint have a home where the TV is always on though, it's switched on to watch a particular programme, no phones at the dinner table, they go on do not disturb over night, so he doesn't see DH and I with a screen a lot so he's less likely to ask. I spend enough time at a computer for work, the last thing I want to do aside from that is stare at screens (other than MN of course...). He does see us talking, reading, listening to the radio, playing table top games, and he can either join in, or play with his toys/read with us, obviously we play with him and he helps (not really) with laundry, tidying etc. This morning he followed DH round the house with a duster of house own cleaning!
But I don't want to hand him a tablet because we've got something to get on with, he needs to learn to occupy himself.

ChameleonClara · 21/03/2021 14:11

Mine, we had/have a shared computer and once in sixth form they get a laptop.

Everyone is happy enough as far as I can tell, have never been asked for anything additional anyway.

scentoflilacs · 21/03/2021 14:30

Mine don’t (5 and 7). They use them at school occasionally which is fine but we haven’t felt the need to introduce them at home.

InDubiousBattle · 21/03/2021 14:43

Do you mean specifically a tablet or just a screen in general? My 5 and 7 year old don't have or use tablets. They both play c BBC games on the laptop though and the 7 year old plays mine craft on the laptop (he's allowed 4 'goes' a week). My 5 year old likes the odd bit of TV but not much really, the 7 year old will watch an episode of Operation Ouch every now and then. We have a Wi too. I only know a couple of year 2 age kids that don't play any kind of computer games at all.

Thesearmsofmine · 21/03/2021 14:48

Mine use them a few times a week, sometimes for education(we home ed), sometimes for pleasure.
They still play nicely together, spend loads of time outside and active, read plenty of books and all the other things people think their children will no longer do if they use tablets.