Why oh why are people giving their under 12s tablets?

[Bigpinksweater]

The evidence regarding the effects of tablets on developing brains is damning. They are absolutely not necessary and barely existed 15 years ago. We are seeing huge rises in behavioural and developmental issues while steadfastly ignoring the fact screen time and in particular tablets can contribute to virtually all of them.

Why oh why are people still handing their toddlers and primary school children tablets?

I don’t think this is correct. I think it’s happening in some council areas, but it’s not universal for the whole country.

The children in my family have tablets and their brains haven't gone to mush. They perform well in school. They are educational.

You limit their time and don't let them go on it all day long.

Before tablets it was laptops, desktop PCs consoles etc. Have people's brains gone to mush because of them?

Just another thing for people to preach on and try to sound superior. Because you obviously blindly follow what research says. Have you thought that the reason why they might be bad for some kids because their parents don't supervise them and limit their time?

My experience having more than one child is that not all children find these activities enjoyable, some find them more of a chore. Sometimes children need the breather after school. If they have been sat at a desk for 6 hours they may not want activities like these. They may want to sit and watch a tv programme or play a game to regulate. I have a big age gap with mine, so they do not enjoy the same programmes. One will watch the tv for 20 mins, while my other watches a tablet, while I cook tea.

Exactly! Every young generation has someone a generation or two older wagging their finger at them, and frowning and judging and berating, like their shit don't stink. 💩 And like THEY never used any modern technology of any kind when THEY were young. (Or let their kids use anything!)

The lazy parenting accusations make me LOL. A few Judgy McJudgypants on here. 😆

I am so uncomfortable with my own phone use. I try to limit it but I experience it physically as an addiction. If for some reason I can't access my phone (dinner party, even just battery died while out) I feel anxious at first and then considerably happier. Like a "why can't I feel like this all the time" happier. Like "oh, this is what the human experience is all about" happier.

I feel like a smoker trying to decide if I should give my kid a cigarette because "I turned out fine" even while I'm looking at the biopsy results.

Perhaps I should take my own advice and sign out of MN for a bit ;)

My ten year old has an iPad as they are very artistic and they use a drawing program to create art. They also use other media to create art. I see this as positive use of technology and creativity, so have no problem with it. She has a very balanced life and does plenty of other things as well.

What she doesn't do is come home from TV and plonk herself in front of the TV, like we used to do as children. She doesn't really like TV much so probably gets less screen time than I ever got. Just a different kind of screen.

I know! What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets, inflamed with wild notions. All because of tech

????

Exactly. Many posters are saying this kind of thing. The OP doesn't like to hear it though.

The difference between iPads and consoles was that consoles and computer games stayed in the house. Some children seem to be incapable of leaving the front door without an iPad.

@Bigpinksweater I tend to agree, but really because the long term effects are unknown. Social media gives people rapid dopamine hits, and this was not a thing 20 years ago. Even with video games and online gaming (online gaming started to become popular and more widespread in the late 90s) the dopamine hits are much slower and they are earned.

A massive experiment is being performed on young people. I've noticed that Gen Z people within my family have a serious issue with holding attention. For people of my generation, video games and movies were regarded as something that could easily hold your attention (compared with say, books or homework). But with my Gen Z family members, their attention span is so poor that they are actually incapable of even playing video games or watching movies or TV shows. I never cease to be astonished by it.

Yep, my ND eldest needs to be able to have a break for his brain and focus on something he can control and a 10 minute Minecraft break can ALLOW him to manage a sticker book, a word search book, an activity book, build an entire Lego set etc.hos preference is to be outside and active, access to a screen let's him bear sitting still and not pull his eyebrow hair out or bite his fingers until they bleed.

My youngest is 4 and would take a sticker book, helping with cleaning, bathing her dolls, playing with her dollhouse etc over a screen anyday. When we get in the car for a long journey he'll pack his switch and a notebook and pens so he can play a game then write. she'll pack a little backpack of Sylvanian families Polly pockets and washy tape to make plasters for them all and spend an entire journey giving them health check ups.

People complained when the world moved on the from slate to paper many years ago. We have to move with the times

All because of adventure novels, all because of video nasties, all because of these videos gaming arcades, all because, all because... All because kids are kids and some adults like yourself think they never needed their bum wiped.

There is a difference between screen use and kids having access to social media

Same here.

Plato vociferously complained about youngsters in 4BC back in day when tablet was a stone
What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets, inflamed with wild notions

Oh shush, go judge people's parenting with Kate 🙄

lol. I’m quoting the big guy, Plato from 4BC For ever,adults have been bemoaning the decline of childhood and wild youngsters. Back then tablet was a Stone

What was it called, can you remember? Or even better, link to it? I am intrigued as to how a 5 year old would even manage to fit in 30 hours! And if im honest I am also appalled and want to read it in my judgy pants!

Is that Glasgow?,
Because it doesn't happen in Lanarkshire

I’m central Scotland and still not had anything it seems every councils had them except ours lol

Edinburgh and Fife have done it so far in West Lothian and we haven’t had them

Oh really, I thought it was "What is happening to our young people? They passively ignore their elders, they silently ignore their parents. They remain compliant with the law by default because it hasn't occurred to them to leave their bedrooms. They feel mild annoyance at content they receive on their tablets, but it passes quickly as the next scroll is passed to them"