To think we've made a mistake with DS big present?

[lynzmb]

We got DS6 an Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet for Christmas to replace an ancient iPad. I'm pretty tech savvy but I have really struggled to get certain apps on the kids profile - YouTube Kids seems extremely difficult to add, research talks about side loading etc which just seems like an almighty faff. I'm worried we keep running into problems like this, DS will lose interest and it was v expensive.

I'm wondering if we return it and look at another android tablet instead. Seen a few people suggesting Samsung with Family Link app for parental controls.

I'm feeling stupid already for not realising the limitations around Amazon tablets so please be kind! Or is there a simple solution I'm missing?

We've never introduced YouTube. Don't plan to. If she asks and we don't want her to have the tablet, we say no. It's out when she's allowed it and in a high cupboard the rest of the time.

It is that easy.

Weve just updated ds tablet from a kids fire to an ipad (like his brother). He got on fine with the fire tablet but I remember his brother got one briefly and couldn't run anything he wanted.
Controls are being installed today to limit time and access.

Agree. Utterly depressing.

Don’t get me started on how hard it is to connect headphones. Best decision we made last year was to throw it in the bin and get an iPad instead.

Mine (11 and 9) have tablets but they’re never been allowed access to YouTube.

Some people obviously think they do as they buy them one!

They don't need one. Doesn't mean it can't be useful. She doesn't need 10 dolls either but she was bought several sets by family members and enjoys them.

MIL bought it as a Christmas present, she set it up and wrapped it up, we didn't know. DD opened it and therefore knew it was there. So instead of going mad about it or getting up in arms like so many people seem to be, we just put rules in place that we enforce.

I just don’t see why out of all of the toys, crafts and things a 3 year old can be given, anyone would think I know, I’ll buy them a tablet as a present. I would have put it away and not given it to them.

Never buy android. It’s incredibly unsafe for kids and any blockers you put in they will get around.

get an iPad. It’s rock solid and you can lock it down so tight it squeaks. Send the android back.

Oh I see … I guess “both sides of the paper” should have given it away 😂

Write a letter to Santa explaining the problem. Get a reply with permission to exchange.

Good for you. We chose differently. Keep judging if you like but I have a bright, happy child who knows how to use a screen and doesn't tantrum when it's taken away. She can also ride a balance bike, a scooter, identify different kinds of birds, build with Lego, draw, paint, glue things, use scissors. Her vocabulary is cracking. She sleeps well, eats properly. I could go on. But that screen is a tiny tiny part of our lives and her life. The fact you wouldn't do it is entirely your own decision and doesn't make any one else wrong.

One side of our family live 5 hours drive away, when we visit he watches it in the car for some of the journey, same when we travel by air which is fairly often. Our kids don’t actually use tablets daily but they do have their place occasionally and having one each saves arguing! They don’t have YouTube kids as I hate that rabbit hole but they do watch Disney+ or play games. That’s why we bought the cheap ones, more expensive would have been a waste. We didn’t give they for Christmas btw but honestly it’s nothing to do with anyone else. We go out daily, lots of walking, crafting, baking, games etc.

Honestly, for a 6 year old I would stick with the fire. My kids had them and loved them although I agree with the parent app being confusing and it took me ages to work out how to update etc.

They are pretty much indestructible as my kids aren't careful and they have not broken at all. Still work as well as they did 2 years ago.

I think it maybe depends what kind of kid you have. Mine are not obsessed with them, they don't tantrum if we say it's time to turn them off, they wouldn't scroll like zombies for hours. Nevertheless, we have set a time limit, so if they have been on them for a set amount of time they automatically lock until the next day. It's rare that they reach that limit.

Yup. And IPad wins hands down. Wonderful tablet.

It’s so refreshing to read about all the little kids who can manage their screen time so well, dipping in and out between playing in the garden and reading. Really amazing 🙄🙄🙄

So much useless parenting on this thread. One OP was at least honest about the fact her kid having an iPad gives her some peace. Sad.

Tech can be used in a constructive way. Our 7 year old mostly uses ours to watch Mark Rober videos and play around with Scratch. He's getting heavily into coding now which is something to be encouraged imo. It's about balance.

Also we have a kindle fire and to be honest I think the fact that it's quite limited actually means he spends less time on it

I’m guessing your child isn’t very old. I can tell you that by the age of 10, a high cupboard won’t cut it. Also when their friends talk about things they’ve seen on YouTube and the peer pressure cranks up.

My kids have the Amazon Kindle fires and they are fantastic, no issues at all with apps and functionality. They have the kids subscriptions - maybe that makes a difference? They have loads of great games and apps and netflix, iPlayer etc for watching shows. They don't have YouTube but that is deliberate on our part.

BUT I can actually believe that. Mine don’t have a tablet but I’ve never really limited screen time as such and so it’s not really something they go mad for. My youngest is a bit obsessed with Ms Rachel but my eldest can definitely take or leave the TV.

Will you be able to return if its been opened / used and there is no fault with it?

There is a distinction between give a 6 year old access to a tablet and letting them use it whenever they want for whatever they want. My 5 year old will watch Bluey or trains videos on you tube or play maths games on a tablet when I need to get shit done. Surely this is just normal parenting now. Nowhere did the OP say her kid was going to have the tablet 24/7 - in fact OP seems pretty concerned about parental controls.

I'm in the minority here but I like it as it can be really locked down in terms of what kids can access. I didn't want mine to have any access to Internet, you tube kids etc. It certainly is a faff but it's also a very safe device in terms of content. All that being said, if I had my time over, I wouldn't give a tablet at all. There is something very sad and lonely about kids retreating to their corners/rooms to watch something alone. There is no shared experience (of watching a funny show for example) and they don't learn to compromise so when you do sit to watch something as a family, they have no idea of how to choose a show that everyone likes. Might not be the worst thing in the world if he does get bored with it.

Well we'll deal with that when we get there. But it's not just tech we believe in moderation for. I very much believe that if you restrict things, they become the things kids have an unhealthy relationship with as they get older. Same goes for certain types of food. Kids need to learn how to regulate and not teaching them that from a young age will make it harder later.