Would you let your child take an iPad to the beach?

[Justgettingbye]

I'm on holiday in England and we plonked down next to another family. I first saw the boy running around holding an iPad and then he spent most of the time sat glued to it.

Do other parents take iPads for their young kids? I'd probably count teenagers out of it.

I wouldn’t for my DD but you never know what’s going on in a family so I guess it’s better not to compare what you would do when you don’t know the circumstances or the child

No, absolutely not!

I wouldn’t personally but as poster above said you never know what is going on in a family or what needs a child and so I’d say the best to think is absolutely nothing at all.

Hahaha no
I'm pretty easy going with tech and would feel fine about using an iPad at a restaurant for example but not at the beach!

Nope, but other people can do what they like.

No

No.

I remember taking my dc to a picnic with some other mums...all the kids were on devices in a huge park with loads of play equipment. My DC didn't have any screens with them and were bored as the other kids wouldn't play with them. It was so annoying that the other parents didn't remove the screens and tell their kids to play

Yes.

I wouldn’t judge. Ds has asd and the upheaval and unfamiliarity of a family day out can be overwhelming. Sometimes the iPad is a good compromise that allows the rest of the family experience something that other families take for granted. And it allows him to join in at his own pace, or not.

We’ve never had to resort to tech on the beach. Yet.

Probably best not to judge. I take tablet to beach for my youngest who has SEN. Noise, smell, people, sea, sand can all overwhelm him and he needs some downtime with his tablet. Wee shot on the tablet, some time out and he's usually good to go. See? Sometimes people have stuff going on that you've no idea about.

Hell no, there’s a time and a place for screens and the beach is not it. @Comedycook, we’re the same when we go out for tea with particular friends. Their children get their phones out the minute we sit down and DS just has to sit there as he knows he’s not allowed his when we go out for tea. If we compromise then, he’ll want it every time we go out and it’s a slippery slope!

It's the family's business, no one else's.

I wouldn’t for my kids, they’re too clumsy like me. It would get dropped in the sea or be plonked down on the steps and forgotten during a game of football. Not bothered if another family does, it’s not like if it was at the cinema where it would affect my enjoyment.

I wouldn’t but no judgement. You have no idea what’s the deal with a child you don’t know or their family. The best I’ve learnt since becoming a parent is to do what’s best for my children & not to judge others!

No! I’d never do this

Ds watches his in the beach tent whilst lying down.

This is after playing games and swimming and paddle boarding.

He has a physical disability and autism and it's recovery time.

But it's limited and he's happily join in picnic and card games away from screens etc.

He's also now 16.

We did t take it when he was younger but his physical disability is progressive so it's worse now and he gets more tired more easily.

I'm surprised they could see the screen, my phones and tablet screens just vanish if I try to use them in sunshine. Amount of times I've desperately found shade to reply to a message is very high 🤣

Here's an idea.....wind your neck in & stop being so bothered about other people & what they're doing

When we go to the beach DS stays in the beach tent and plays with his toys and my phone. He has sensory issues with sand, water and wind (possible ASD) He finds a day at the beach a real challenge. We take these so that DD and the rest of the family can enjoy a day out on the beach (which we love) Unless you know everything about the family involved the YABU.

I agree with other posters that it seems likely the beach iPad user was on the autistic spectrum. The ASD kids I know would be disregulated by the sensory issues at the beach and need the focus of a screen to get them through the day.

I take our iPad everywhere because two of my kids have autism. The middle one is sometimes okay so doesn’t use her but the youngest uses it to keep herself calm especially when we go to unfamiliar places. The beach is especially difficult as sand is quite a big sensory issue.

@CoastalSwimmer

I agree with other posters that it seems likely the beach iPad user was on the autistic spectrum. The ASD kids I know would be disregulated by the sensory issues at the beach and need the focus of a screen to get them through the day.

Bit of a leap...I know lots of NT kids who are permanently on devices regardless of where they are

I was interested because up until then (in my experience) the beach would be the place you wouldn't see screens. Im not outraged. My family use screens/iPads/phones

Hell no!! But mainly because he'd get distracted and bury it in a sandcastle or drop it in the sea. Can't say I care too much what other choose to do

No. But if I had one child who, for whatever reason, struggled at the beach and the rest of the dc wanted to go it would be a compromise I made to make it happen.

Most parents are doing their best to make the most of things, I tend to keep my nose out of their business.