Screens- how do you do it?

[Dalooah]

Just had a rather annoying experience at a play date with a family member whose DC 6/7 had brought theirs phones with them and were glued to said phones instead of socialising with mine and other children at a family gathering at a neutral location where there were plenty of toys/things to play with and food etc.

I've always been quite anti-screen for young kids and my now 6 year old has a set period of time with a tablet and TV watching is 'with intention' (not turned on all the time for background entertainment) I know this is my choice but I just wondered why on earth little kids need their own phones? I barely let my DC on my phone let alone giving them their own ones.

What's the general opinion on screens/screen times? Am I being unreasonably shocked?

I hate this but unfortunately I think it's unavoidable in this day and age.
My niece and nephew are exactly the same, had their own phones at 7 and 8 and you can barely get a word out of them. Its rude. A child at that age should be socialising with other children not sat glued to a screen.
I have a 3 year old DD, she loves tv and would watch it all day if she could but she knows and accepts that she has a limit and it will stay that way for the foreseeable, she doesn't have an either iPad ( as much as grandparents have tried).

Annoying for you but people do parent differently and you don't always know what's going on. Perhaps said child was feeling ill or overwhelmed? It doesn't really matter though, your DC played with the other DC and you're happy with that so I'd try not to worry too much about the other child.

That's frustrating. I would not expect a child of that age to bring tech to a play date. They should still be playing. My DD is the same age. She uses our tech for short periods but doesn't have her own. Some of her friends have tablets but I've not seen them use them out and about. Phones are generally given around 10 here, although some will use an old sim free phone as a mini tablet younger.

Just do what you want to do with your children. Sounds like it was a wider family gathering than a specific play date between this child and yours. Some kids get very overwhelmed at big gatherings etc

We rationed ours. They could earn extra time. I was 'The keeper of the chargers' so had all the power mwah ha ha!