Children on Ipads in restaurants

[Somersetlady]

Away in a resort. I am shocked by the number of children on ipads for the entire sitting of a meal. Breakfast lunch and dinner.

Buffet to fine dining.

From todlers upwards.

No social interaction with parents or staff and mindless eating whilst inhaling cartoons.

i understand that parents want a bit of a break but surely this is shockingly bad for the children?

@MoreDangerousThanAWomanScorned OP has posted 47 times within 210 minutes, an average of every 4.45 minutes, hardly mother of the year interacting with her children is she? Arguing on SM, for that length of time and that often.

Then comments on others not interacting over an hours mealtime.

The hypocrisy is unreal, she's made a laughing stock of herself to be honest.

Why can't you f'in weirdos leave other people alone. Its so bizarre. You're on holiday and this is what you choose to wind yourself up about?

And spend all her quality time with her DC doing so........ whilst judging others....

Totally agree, OP. We were away recently, and my DS is a great one for chatting. Every child he approached was in j an I-Pad / tablet / phone daze & not one of them could even say hello (to me or him). It was shocking. And the parents were on their phones, as well. Same on the train there, too.

DS got friendly with all of the older folk in the hotel & even joined in the dancing with them when the live band came on. He was first in the dance floor! He’s lively & chatty, loves meeting new people. He can be a handful, too. But it would be a huge disservice to him to shove a device on his face…

I never allowed this, but I had one easygoing, well-behaved child who had been used to eating in restaurants regularly from a very young age.

You do realise that OP has spent the past more than three hours doing exactly what you're agreeing with her about, being on tech, arguing on MN?

Oh, it's ok because she's ignoring her kids whilst she does so.....

Didn’t notice that about the OP. Thanks for the update!
parents on the phone is just as bad. Going out is a social thing, surely? For everyone. I disagree with kids on devices.

But, it’s up to individual families, of course. I know that my kid will need to use devices at school & be computer literate. And he watches TV. But he has basic social skills.

She has posted several times that she doesn't live in the UK and her children aren't in school this week.

You don't cover yourself in glory by a) forgetting there's a big world out there b) not RTFT or even the OP's responses while slagging her off for not answering a stupid question and c) using Karen as an insult.

@ColleenDonaghy I'm not sure OP has co reed herself in glory but taking over three hours out of her day, to argue with people on MN, instead of spending time interacting with her children, whilst judging other parents, that are not interacting with their children.

Just because she wants to interact during mealtimes, and ignore them all morning/afternoon, doesn't mean she is a better parent. Or she's shipped them off to a holiday club, whereas others are interacting with them all morning/afternoon.

*covered

My kids regularly tell adults that there is a "no screens at the table" rule... including their own dad and grandparents.

I think you need to speak someone. You sound a bit distressed and very anxious. Glad I’m not you with that way of thinking. Do you judge everyone like this, over weight people, people with addictions etc?

I'm sure your DS is lovely and he's obviously fascinating to you, as all kids should be to their parents. However if he came over to our table in a restaurant during a meal, I'd expect you to come and get him whether my kids had iPads or not.

No, it's an interaction between two people. We talk about which bits to colour in, which colours etc... and often colour in together.

It's nothing like leaving a kid to become a screen zombie!

It's interesting that most of the swearing, name calling and insults, come from one side of the argument

I’d much rather this than kids running around, I have seen what’s left behind after a child is scalded by hot food and full thickness burns are not something anyone should experience

Yes. This just doesn't happen. This insistence of a unilateral acceptance of children behaving poorly anywhere and everywhere in Italy. It doesn't happen. It's very rare I see children sat looking at phones or tablets when I'm overseas. Nobody has any issue at all with children being children, but there's definitely an expectation (which is met) of good behaviour. Though, granted it is much more of a universal effort to entertain children than being solely down to the parents.

And somewhere popular with holiday makers would make it, oh yes a tourist destination. Given that British people are not the start and end of holiday makers.

"Every child he approached was in j an I-Pad / tablet / phone daze & not one of them could even say hello (to me or him). It was shocking"

Please remember that some children do not want to be approached by random children.

Oh how delightful!

I think you're bored if that's is what's playing on your mind. Get a hobby love.

Oh but he is so chatty and it's so so endearing....not!

We loved holidays, as kids. Meeting other kids (and adults).

But it’s different today. I don’t have to agree. But, it’s life…

I bloody hate when random kids come up to my DS in public. He's extremely shy and he always finds it so overwhelming. It may come off as him being mean but he really just doesn't like it. He's fine with it at school because he's gotten to know the kids but if it's someone he doesn't know, he always starts running away and hiding behind my legs.

Mumsnet: if you bring baby/toddler to a restaurant they have to remain perfectly still and in complete silence, but you can't give them a screen no matter what, you have to talk to them (in whispers) about politics/economics to distract them (don't sing, don't let them play with anything that is remotely noisy, don't clap hands or make them laugh, etc, as it's disruptive), if this is too much for you and you decide you don't want to bring them to a restaurant you're a terrible parent because they have to get used to the environment and etiquette and it's bad for their attachment if they stay with someone else so you can have some relax and enjoyment hahahaha

My toddler has literal zero screen time, I save it for very very very specific situations, even in restaurants I try a lot of distraction techniques, colouring, snacks, take turns to go out with her for a brief walk or whatever, but if push comes to shove and she starts getting fussy I put on a screen in front of her totally guilt-free. We don't go out a lot because it is indeed a bit of a song and dance to try and make her (and us) happy during a whole meal, so I can totally understand why in a resort with around 21 meals/week parents ran out of books/crayons/options/patience and give them a screen. You are judging and coming to conclusions from half hour of a kid's life, mind your own business.