To not understand why anyone would buy these for a child (tech related)

[Gheesesndbuscuits]

I don’t understand why anyone would get their child an iPad or tablet. Especially under ten and while a toddler even!

I know this sounds like I think I’m superior having not done it, but however I asked the question it would have come across like that. I’m far from a perfect parent and rely on the tv far too much for childcare when I’m making dinner or need to drink my tea in peace.

But iPads and tablets I don’t get, they’re so interactive and addictive. I genuinely can’t understand why you’d get one for a child. Especially when there’s tv that is more passive (though I accept not good either!).

I’ll be honest, working with kids, the kids that have no access to tech are of similar “unsavvyness” levels as the ones who use it (excessively sometimes) on all the “wrong” things. Neither can actually type, much less touch type. Neither have any troubleshooting skills. Neither can access anything beyond basic gaming/apps. Neither can log in with ease in an account. Neither can scroll down and read the information just “miiiiss is says something!” . Neither can cope with something basic as “accept cookies”. Neither can send an email. And so on. So I’m very skeptical of this “tech savvyness” that’s supposed to come simply with having tech.

Playing out truly wasn’t universal. I never played out in the 1980s. Nor did any of my friends. We were allowed to walk to each others houses but that was from about 9 and only allowed out for longer without parental supervision from 11.

reading programs will work out cheaper online for the school, they only have what little budget they are given to manage the school.

Education should be free
it is. It doesn't mean parents are not expected to buy basic supplies!
In term of ipads, schools will have a few and the children can use them at school of course.

Charities also collect unwanted screens, and redistribute to school.

Exercise books provided by school for homework
why should the school pay for those? If parents were paying, these books wouldn't get lost so easily for a start.

What a load of nonsense! iPads are fantastic learning tools (even more so for SEN children), which is why many primary schools issue iPads and use them in class. iPads for Education is a global thing with lots & lots of professional support and endorsements. You need to stop believing that screens = evil as it’s just not true. This ridiculous myth spreads like a virus.

@Fiddlesticks1no wonder children are non-verbal

I beg your f-ing pardon?!?! Non-verbal children are that way because they are AUTISTIC and are born as such! For the love of all that is holy, please stop making nonsense up and spreading it online. Just stop.

My six year old does have a tablet, I think the reason why probably is desperation as has been suggested. I do feel guilty about it and limit usage. We got it for long car journeys etc. She mainly plays games and watches the stuff she'd otherwise watch on tv.

She's had two awards from school for being good at 'computing' so maybe it's not all bad.

My children (7&4) don’t have one. But since you acknowledge you rely on the tv “far too much”, I think you’re being a bit superior tbh. Someone could have an iPad for their child and enforce much less screen time than you.

This!!

It’s not the tech that’s the issue here.

I think it depends where you live. I live in a small town and there’s definitely a ‘knock for me’ culture. Both my children do this with local friends and we’re often turning kids away at 9am asking if my kids want to play when they’re still in bed.

I do agree that phones are valuable for communication in older kids though. My eldest’s friends live about a mile away so she can’t just knock for them so will text and ask if they want to hang out. She has a friend who doesn’t have a phone who misses out as they can’t communicate and ask if they want to come out

I don’t understand it either, especially toddlers/pre school children they just become zombies not interested in the outside world, they have their whole adult life to be like that why waste their childhood.
Honestly it’s always unsettled me seeing little kids just absorbed in their iPad. My kids have never had one and without sounding superior I had my eldest at 16 and knew it was a bad idea how the average parent who’s twice that age can think it’s a good idea idk. Because it seems like almost every toddler has an iPad how do so many people think that’s a good idea?

When used sensibly I think tech is good and useful for everyone.
But most people are slowly going brain dead because of phones and screens. Kids are just going to be like zombies a bit earlier in life. Especially where there is no controlled timing involved and then kids get wound up when devices are taken away. Whether we like it or not, many people of all ages are addicted to screens and it's only going to get worse.

My child is about to start reception at a school which issues every year 3 kid with their own iPad. They apparently use these a lot in lessons and for homework. The school are really proud of this. I am really uncomfortable with it but I suppose it's the way of things now.

Mine have had tablet computers since they were toddlers for a few reasons:

1. We don't have a TV/computer/radio the tablet was their only source of cbeebies and kids music
2. We don't drive and do a lot of travelling by train and visits to relatives across the country where having cbeebies to hand made everything more fun for them
3. They have the Kindle app on there so have a library they can take with them
4. As soon as they started school they were told to use a range of homework, times tables, phonics and spellings type apps that are easiest for children to use on a tablet than a phone.

They have no social media and every app on there is controlled by us and the whole tablet is set on timers we can change whenever we want. It's much easier to manage access to than other types of devices. Now they are teens they've switched to phones but tablets were so useful for little kids. They still spent most of the day playing and outside.

Makes the masses more compliant, like a mass lobtomy through a screen, They will believe pretty much any shite fed to them.

My kids do their timetable and spelling homework on my phone. The school set homework on apps but that dosent mean you need to get an iPad.

Whats wrong with doing homework on a parents phone?

Yes it’s my biggest regret!

We have tablets that are free access, a couple of Nintendo Switches, etc. They’re just another toy in our house and the kids view them as that. Sometimes they will sit for weeks without being picked up. I find it weirder when we go to people’s houses and the TV is constantly on in the background. I would hate that.

We wouldn’t ever use them in a restaurant or anything that, it wouldn’t occur to me to take them. They don’t generally leave the house except for long car journeys. But in the home they are just another thing to play with.

I’ll be honest, I think the tide is slowly turning. Covid changed things massively tech wise for various reasons. Also , it used to be seen a status symbol/sign of a good school for a school to be equipped with tech and to be using it regularly. Like I said the mindset is starting to change, not sure if quickly enough by the time your son reaches y3. Hopefully we can achieve a balance.

But iPads and tablets I don’t get, they’re so interactive and addictive. I genuinely can’t understand why you’d get one for a child. Especially when there’s tv that is more passive (though I accept not good either!).

I don't understand this point - if you're going to use screens to keep your kids entertained, why would you rather they passively consumed television than played a game on a tablet? Mine didn't have tablets as toddlers, but they had them from about 6 or 7 to play games on, which helps develop dexterity, reasoning skills, resilience, and a growth mindset.

Kids can only use a tablet for the apps you instal, and there are plenty of really interesting and valuable apps available.

What do you think the benefits of passive media consumption are over interactive?

Oh and we’re top of the timetables league here 😂 the smaller screen means you can press the buttons quicker

Screen is too small and fiddly. For timetables, depending on the app and the y4 test, speed matters as well. Being familiar with the layout/keyboard of the device you’ll be taking the test on helps. But basically screen too small(at least on my phones , because I prefer the smaller ones).

Non speaking 8yo dd has had a tablet for around 3 years. Actually she has 2, so there is never a danger of it running out of charge. And thank goodness as we realised she uses clips of her favourite shows to communicate with us. Which has led to getting her an iPad with a dedicated communication app on which we are all learning to use. This is finally giving her a voice. The tablet use has given her the skills to visually discriminate and press buttons which will be life changing for her. So I'm team tech all the way!

Why us it different than using Ipads? What makes TV, more educational?

My grandchildren have tablets (and have had since toddlers).. They don't have unlimited access to them. They use them with headphones. Often it's when travelling, to keep them awake.They only have the TV on to watch specific programmes and generally with an adult, not just the TV babysitting. In restaurants etc they draw, read books. Like most things in parenting, it's not enforcing appropriate boundaries that is the problem.

im In my 20s so we used computers in school.
My parents were older and poorer than everyone else’s so my first interaction with a computer was at school and I typed very slowly in the beginning because the letters weren’t in alphabetical order.

Didnt take me long to catch up with everyone else though. I don’t understand people who think giving a baby an iPad will make them Elon musk. There are 80 year old grannies who are given iPads and promptly learn how to use them.