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!).

Every piece of homework for both children’s schools is on a screen, the board is interactive and most of the lessons involve some form of screen. Their newsletter then reminds parents of the importance of screen free time 🤷🏼‍♀️ my children spend more time on screens in school than they do at home!

When did you notice this starting?

My kids (aged 7 and 3) have been doing 12+ hour car journeys since they were babies (both sets of grandparents live abroad). Audiobooks? Absolutely. iPads? NEVER. Not least because they would serve as projectiles in the event of a crash.
I also took my eldest son by train from London to Valence (changing in Lille) when he had just turned 2. Again he did not watch anything on my phone during that long journey (at least 5 hours). It takes effort to keep them entertained but I believe in the payoff 🤷‍♀️

This is really interesting! I had been secretly wondering if the iPads they own may start to break/become obsolete before my daughter gets given one, and perhaps the school won't bother to replace them? Perhaps wishful thinking...

To be fair, I've never owned an iPad, so I don't know, maybe they're much more useful than I imagine for things like learning to program. But given that they're supposed to be very user friendly and appeal to the masses / kids, I always assumed not. I don't love the idea of iPads being used in classrooms instead of good old books / pencil and paper. I guess they're a way of making things easier in terms of marking etc?

Encouraging that you think things may be changing!

Yet literacy levels have improved hugely.

England's performance in international reading assessments like PIRLS improved significantly, climbing from joint 10th in 2011 up to 4th in the world by 2021.

And that’s over the period tablets have increased hugely.

I don’t think that tablets are a good thing at all but I don’t think we can claim they are the cause of declining literacy skills. Declining reading for pleasure, very possibly though.

Would you get them a library card? Because, like it or not, the internet and a way to access it is today’s ‘reading’.

Ours have had tablets that they could use (not their own) since about 4yo BUT with heavy controls.
We used them for watching Cbeebies when on holiday, simple games, and then learning apps. The speech therapist who diagnosed my DD with a comprehension disorder suggested an app, DS has had a maths app since about T1 etc.
They now play fairly basic games e.g. DD is 12 and likes Toca World. But their time is always limited.

The reasons why ipads are seen are useful/handy are varied.

Firstly, they are compatible with all the apps schools pay for (either since Covid or because they always did).

With proper protective cases they are quite sturdy and damage proof.

Ease of access , transport . Easier to roll the ipad trolley in , rather than a laptop trolley or moving the whole class to the computer room.Laptops are heavier as well and keyboards can break , keys fall off, screens shatter etc.

Ease of user access and speed. As an individual this one bugs me, but I see why teachers/schools prefer it. Laptops can be slow, a pain to log into, might need an update, something went wrong with the software etc. a lot of precious time can be wasted just to get whatever you need up and running, never mind actually doing the work. Especially if it’s a research heavy lesson.

Depending on what the lesson is , it also has the ability to take pictures, record etc. so only one device needed.

While it makes sense, it’s not necessarily better long term and it’s a real pain for parents who (rightly or wrongly) want to limit their child’s access .

DD hates reading , yet has a reading age of 17(assessed at 13). It really bugs me that she was told that as my nagging is definitely less impactful now.

I guess you want your kids left behind then? AI is already massive. Children who have not embraced tech will be last to be picked for jobs

They’ll probably do it if they haven’t got a screen to watch/play on though.

You think kids need a tablet from under 10 to be tech savvy? My DD is 13, only has occasional access to my iPad and goes to a ‘gifted and talented’ coding club at school.

I think kids need access to all kinds of tech, yes. Most schools have them do their homework now via iPad. Very glad about your ‘gifted and talented’ daughter though. Do you not think they use interactive learning to do coding? Because as someone who employs coders, I assure you they do

My daughter's early years homework is on an app. We had to go out and buy her a galaxy tab so that she could complete it.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Not unreasonable but I suspect this starts out on devices already in the home - Mum or Dad’s iPad used to keep children distracted when parents need peace. We should probably all look at how much we rely on tech

Mine has an Amazon fire tablet, it has a timer on it so they have a limited amount of them. They don’t have access to short format videos.

They are currently running round the garden*

*possibly as I’ve asked them to get ready for bed 🤣

Socially - they may not go online at 9/10 and message etc but they definitely chat about Roblox or Minecraft or whatever YouTube star is big. My son is 9, had 3 mates around and they were discussing you tube stars (ones that taught them to draw as well as gamers where they learnt new Minecraft things) .Brainrot and other fads. Don’t think these aren’t big deals to kids - it’s huge.

Academic reason - school use them. Part of the national curriculum is safety online etc. 9 year old has been taught at school how to browse the web etc.

Learning - it is not all mind numbing brainrot (the Italian kind or literally) - my son has learnt some proper random educational things from stuff he’s watched. I have been so impressed by what he has learnt. He actually talked me through how to make orange chicken after watching Nick Giovanni (love his you tube show myself). We consume you tube differently too - Holly Willoughbys new show is you tube only I think?

So…I agree it’s addictive etc and lots to worry about…but shutting it away isn’t the way to deal with that. Use it within reason. Use it sensibly. As a parent monitor what they’re doing and when. Put limits in.

I work in AI, Cyber Sec focused - kids run rings around their parents. It’s terrifying how many don’t police what they’re doing which comes from self education needed on parents behalf. Most parents don’t educate themselves and that’s where the risk comes in. It isn’t the tech itself.

Also it is just good fun! No other reason needed. TV really isn’t morally any better.

Reading a lot of these sorts of scenarios on this thread excusing iPad use, but again in all of these scenarios I have never been with my kids and thought “oh, I wish we had an iPad”.

Hospital: we were there last year when my eldest cracked his head open. Hospitals have play areas and of course he was in and out of a couple of treatment rooms. I may have let my youngest watch something on my phone for a very short time while we were waiting, but by and large he coloured and played.

Plane journeys with long delays: again we had this scenario last year (thankfully only me and the eldest) and during the 4-hour delay my then 6yo found other kids to play with whose flights were also delayed. I also bought him a magazine from the airport shop that probably came with a free mini Lego on the front.

Sitting around waiting for activities…there’s a very easy solution to that. READ A BOOK. We don’t go anywhere without one. Also of course by 7 they can do some reading by themselves.

So I’m still not seeing the need.

From experience, “embracing tech” doesn’t always , or even for the majority of the time equal tech ability, or at least not in a way that’s actually useful in the way you think.

As for the school apps: you know you can log in to Mathletics, Spelling Shed etc from a laptop or desktop computer and use it on there, don’t you? The kid doesn’t need an iPad for that.

A lot of families, like us, possibly don't have non work laptop or desktop computers nowadays. Doesn't have to be an iPad though, far cheaper and just as functional tablets are available as different brands.

@Angelil I don't need to mystifying the occasional tablet use I allow my child, however it is worth pointing out that if flying or driving long haul a tablet can be particulalry useful for children who get very travel sick like dd. She can't read or colour or play games when travelling, but she can watch something suitable that we have put on the tablet for her. We still play games out loud, but even that can make her feel sick so for a very long flight the tablet comes in handy.

Of course I know they do. I just said kids don’t need an iPad from being a toddler to be good at this stuff when older 🤷🏻‍♀️

Audiobooks would be better. Just saying.

My 9 yo does not have a tablet of her own but I do allow limited use of mine - but she doesn't get free reign to scroll or do anything I am not aware of