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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy my 2 1/2 year old twins a tablet for holidays?

116 replies

Thedoctorswife1 · 29/03/2023 10:58

We have resisted tablets until now - no judgement at all to those who use them - they have some but not a huge amount of screen time in the form of TV.
We have two flights coming up in the next few months and I am considering getting them a kindle fire and headphones - they are on sale at the moment on Amazon. AIBU to do so? I’d want to use just on the plane and when out and about in restaurants as they can get very restless when sat down for extended periods of time. Asking them to share is not an option due to the seating on the plane.

OP posts:
sequincardi · 29/03/2023 11:01

No.
Just do it.

FrodisCapering · 29/03/2023 11:01

I have a 2.5 year old and a 4 year old. Personally, I don't use them. We have a flight on Monday and a six hour drive the following week but we just don't want to introduce them.
On no account would we ever use them at mealtimes.

Now that's what's right for me and my family. You would not be unreasonable to use tablets if you want to. It's just personal choice.

Diorama1 · 29/03/2023 11:02

Its a slippery slope and a no from me!!

3 children, holidays every year, meals out etc, never used screens. Colouring books, cards, story books, etc

Diorama1 · 29/03/2023 11:03

Its tough and requires engagement with your children to keep them entertained, but so worth it. Mine are teenages now and rarely use screens.

FlounderingFruitcake · 29/03/2023 11:04

No don’t buy one. Buy two. They’re so handy for flights. It’s a pain the arse entertaining young kids when they’re being told they have to sit still for hours. Personally I don’t use them in restaurants but each to their own.

ThePurpleOctopus · 29/03/2023 11:05

Buy them one each.

Flights and cat journeys - indispensable.

I don't let mine use them in cafes/meal times. And that's never been a problem for them.

ThePurpleOctopus · 29/03/2023 11:05

FlounderingFruitcake · 29/03/2023 11:04

No don’t buy one. Buy two. They’re so handy for flights. It’s a pain the arse entertaining young kids when they’re being told they have to sit still for hours. Personally I don’t use them in restaurants but each to their own.

Cross post! Totally agree

Dacadactyl · 29/03/2023 11:06

I wouldnt.

Bring books and colouring instead

cheatingcrackers · 29/03/2023 11:06

It’s obviously completely up to you, but we didn’t, have travelled extensively (regular 8 hour drive to grandparents and many flights out with covid restrictions) and we’ve never had any issues.

I mean if you want to buy them then buy them but please don’t feel like it’s a need to have. (I also can’t tell you how many times strangers have commented to me on how nice it is to see my kids occupied and happy on the plane without screens!)

FilthyforFirth · 29/03/2023 11:09

I am anti screens. I bought DS a tablet for his 5th bday as we had a 9 hour flight coming up and then a 4 hour drive. I personally wouldnt use them in restaurants and I think 2.5 is a bit young (DS wouldnt have got one if it wasnt for the long flight, he barely uses it now).

Can you try them with other alternatives first to see if it keeps them entertained? Possibly a bit of a slippery slope if starting so young?

Danielle9891 · 29/03/2023 11:10

100% they're great. I actually just used my kindle fire with a kids case for my Daughter. She's 20 months old and flew 8 times (twice from Dublin to America) and we travel a lot as I live in Northern Ireland and drive to my family in England. It takes her mind off not being able to run around.
I would normally buy Netflix (for cocomelon) or Disney plus so I could download some stuff for the flights or ferry.

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 29/03/2023 11:11

Yes we have one for our 2.5 year old. We only use it for long drives in the uk (4 hours to visit family) and flights. That’s it. It lives in the cupboard and has never caused any issues or screen addition.

I don’t use it at meal times purely because eating and screen time at the same time causes over eating/mindless eating.

I would use it before a meal if I had to though as I’ve used my phone for 5 mins when DC was near a meltdown when food was taking ages and he was exhausted.

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 29/03/2023 11:11

Screen addiction*

Marchforward · 29/03/2023 11:13

I’m not a huge screen fan. My kids are allowed 30 mins max a day and don’t always have the max and have days without. I say buy two kindles!

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 29/03/2023 11:13

Just to add, we don’t get the screen out on the flight unless we have to, we use sticker books and chatting about the journey as entertainment in the first instance. The tablet is for a relax once the journey gets going.

Original poster
Thedoctorswife1 · 29/03/2023 11:13

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 29/03/2023 11:11

Yes we have one for our 2.5 year old. We only use it for long drives in the uk (4 hours to visit family) and flights. That’s it. It lives in the cupboard and has never caused any issues or screen addition.

I don’t use it at meal times purely because eating and screen time at the same time causes over eating/mindless eating.

I would use it before a meal if I had to though as I’ve used my phone for 5 mins when DC was near a meltdown when food was taking ages and he was exhausted.

So this is my plan - literally only for very long journeys. I accept that restaurants are a bad idea especially while actually eating.

OP posts:
mistermagpie · 29/03/2023 11:16

I have three children and they get unlimited TV really, it's always on in the background! But devices are a bit different, they seem to get very addicted to them. However, my kids do have them, you just have to manage their usage a bit more.

My main thing would be that a 2.5 year old is unlikely to be able to really use it. My three year old can play some basic games independently on her kindle fire but that's only been in the last couple of months, before that she would have needed you to be helping a lot - and if you're doing that then you might as well be colouring in or something non-screen based.

AmniMajus · 29/03/2023 11:21

Can you not get them yoto players so they can listen to audio books? That’s what I did with my daughter, now she is bigger she can watch the inflight entertainment but something like a yoto avoided ever needing a tablet.

StylishM · 29/03/2023 11:23

DCs are between 6-10 and they had tablets each for 5th birthday as some homework is app-based for school. We use them on long journeys and for downtime, using an egg timer to monitor/limit use. We never use them in public places like restaurants/cafes but do use them on planes/airports.

I'd get them one each and use the parental controls - maybe get the number blocks app and some other BBC created stuff

Timetochangetheoil · 29/03/2023 11:25

We did this last Easter when driving to Cornwall (we are in Hampshire so it was hours in the car). Got the tablets as a treat for our then 2 and 4 year olds. Didn’t bloody work. The 4 year old was quite entertained by it but the 2 year old basically kicked off the whole drive down, we had to stop a couple of times to let her burn off some energy, but our drive back we planned much better so they were in pjs and it was almost bedtime and they slept the whole way. Our great (kind of expensive) idea of keeping them quiet with new shiny kindles was a huge failure 😂

However, in October we drove to Disneyland Paris so much longer in the car. Set off at about 2am! This time I bought them little mini mouse backpacks (just from primark) and when they woke up in their car seats they had a bag full of goodies - stickerbooks, colouring, autograph books, mini mouse hair clips (you could fill the bag with things related to their holiday maybe?) and a packed breakfast/brunch. It honestly worked so much better than the tablets, and it made them so excited for the holiday.

FlounderingFruitcake · 29/03/2023 11:26

Sounds like a good plan OP, especially if you’re scrapping the idea of using it in restaurants. Planes aren’t normal environments- we’d never strap our kids to a chair for hours and tell them they can only move for bathroom breaks at home so don’t feel bad about being a courteous passenger and doing whatever you can to keep them quiet! They won’t get screen addicted any more than if they used the plane entertainment system (if you were going long haul). Stickers and colouring are great and do take those too but my 2YO will do that for 30 minutes max and gets bored, I’m sure lots are the same, so good to have a back up. No one will judge you for having quiet kids!

atthebottomofthehill · 29/03/2023 11:26

It's fine, crack on

Fluffodils · 29/03/2023 11:27

It's completely up to you and whatever you are comfortable with

Newuser82 · 29/03/2023 11:28

ThePurpleOctopus · 29/03/2023 11:05

Buy them one each.

Flights and cat journeys - indispensable.

I don't let mine use them in cafes/meal times. And that's never been a problem for them.

I agree. This is what we do.

QuinkWashable · 29/03/2023 11:29

I would. My kids had to travel a lot when younger, and they were always perfectly behaved. Sat down, given drink/snack headphones on and watch tablet for the flight. No rummaging for dropped crayons or chasing toy cars up the aisle, no crying or shouting because they wanted the other's toy - just calm, straightforward, lightweight (I used to check everything, then just stroll on board with a tote bag, and hand out the ipads when I sat down.

The rules were: Always use your headphones, headphones off and no watching when told not to (eg. walking about the airport), make sure you have plenty pre-downloaded and fully charged, because I'm not running out my battery pack because you didn't prepare (last two when they were older)

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