Ipad for 2 year old

saczerwonka

I'm coming out of lurkdom to see what you all think about toddlers and ipads... 

I'm fine with my DD using our gadgets (phone, kindle, tablet) to watch Mickey Mouse or Elmo videos and play with the music, drawing or puzzle apps.  We limit her time spent using our gadgets to 10-15 minutes at a time, at max once or twice a day, but she doesn't always ask for it every day.  I can also see the benefit to distracting a toddler on a long flight, so I'm fine with that too.

However, my MIL wants to get DD an ipad for her 2nd birthday.  I feel that it is absolutely not age-appropriate, especially since she already has access to technology through the other gadgets that DH and I have.

What do you all think?  Am I being crazy and too old-fashioned for not allowing my DD an ipad for her 2nd birthday?

Kitiara5512

An old used ipad would be okay; a brand new one, fuckings no, no toddler needs a 500.00 gadget.

lildevil968

To pricey for my taste, and I think it would be a waste of money for a 2 year old.

CoffeeBeen

I also think it's a little excessive.  I want to reserve major gifts for a time when DS can appreciate what it means to receive a major gift.  However, I don't think one ipad will spoil a child so long as that kind of gift doesn't become routine.

missmuffin87

What!?! No! 

How about the leap pad. I think it's for 4 and up, but if your LO can figure out the iPad I can't imagine that it's much harder. I think that's more age appropriate.  

ktshoff

Kitiara5512:

An old used ipad would be okay; a brand new one, fuckings no, no toddler needs a 500.00 gadget.

Agree with this!

blowfish11

Kitiara5512:

An old used ipad would be okay; a brand new one, fuckings no, no toddler needs a 500.00 gadget.

This 

Jimsgirl5821

I'd say no because it is expensive and breakable, and because I wouldn't want to set the precedent where kids would expect crazy expensive gifts for everything. ( I have a friend who spends at least $500 on gifts for every birthday and more at Christmas because the kid turns down his nose at anything else!)  I don't see anything wrong with letting a toddler use it, DD uses mine. She has some Hello Kitty apps and shape, letter and number apps. There are rules to using it with us - no eating or drinking while playing, no banging on it and she has to use it in tv room while sitting on couch or floor (Only room with carpet in case she does drop it ).

MrsCodeMonkey

I agree with you. Perhaps you can ask them to hold off until she's a little older. Who knows how much fancier they'll get by the time she's in school? My ILs love their ipads too. They have 4! LOL They each got new ones once the new format came out. I wonder if they'll end up with 6 once another version comes out...

For the record, we have one and DD uses it very infrequently mostly because she throws a fit once we take it away. We'll use it on a flight in a few weeks, though.

MissNikki007

Hell no. I don't even have an iPad.

Libby1978

MissNikki007:

Hell no. I don't even have an iPad.

Haha!  This!!!!!

madamsmurfette

I think it's way too excessive. If they want to spend so much, they can buy a $100 toy and put the rest in savings for LO.

iheartsippycups

Bought specifically for a 2 year old- uh no

2 year old uses yours/dh's on occasion- sure

annaruiz2

Where do you go from ipad though? Will you ever really be able to give clothes for a gift again? You are headed into I want a pony territory.

MissNikki007

annaruiz2:

Where do you go from ipad though? Will you ever really be able to give clothes for a gift again? You are headed into I want a pony territory.

Also, this. If you give the kid an iPad at 2, what do you give them at 3?

TunaTown

saczerwonka:

I'm coming out of lurkdom to see what you all think about toddlers and ipads... 

I'm fine with my DD using our gadgets (phone, kindle, tablet) to watch Mickey Mouse or Elmo videos and play with the music, drawing or puzzle apps.  We limit her time spent using our gadgets to 10-15 minutes at a time, at max once or twice a day, but she doesn't always ask for it every day.  I can also see the benefit to distracting a toddler on a long flight, so I'm fine with that too.

However, my MIL wants to get DD an ipad for her 2nd birthday.  I feel that it is absolutely not age-appropriate, especially since she already has access to technology through the other gadgets that DH and I have.

What do you all think?  Am I being crazy and too old-fashioned for not allowing my DD an ipad for her 2nd birthday?

If MIL wants to buy it, I say let her.

I felt the same way you did about "being old fashioned". But my mom was visiting, and brought her iPad to lunch. Mom had preloaded some learning apps. She and DD had a blast playing with the iPad. DD was quiet, having fun, and learning. (in turn, I enjoyed chatting with my dad, drinking my martini and actually eating my appetizer salad)

And in reality, our LOs will use technology way more than we ever did, so I really don't see using an iPad or computer as a bad thing for toddlers. 

Also, your idea of limiting techie time is a good thing.

ShellShockedMama

I let my son use mine but it's not "his". I couldn't justify a $800 toy. Well, I can, but it's for me. if I had no use for the iPad, I wouldn't buy one for DS. 

michaels_girl

i'm considering getting my 4.5 yo (at the time christmas comes around) an iPOD.  i was going to do the leappad, but had the same thoughts as fred earlier in the post.  I KNOW she'll play the programs I download on an iPod, but who knows if she'll even like the leappad. plus, most of the apps aren't $20 apiece.

dangerkitty102

DS uses our old ipad, which is the original version. 

Honestly we probably let him play with it too much and need to limit his time more. He loves it and has learned a lot playing with it though. Every app he plays with is educational in some way.

But would I let my MIL get him one, especially if I didn't have one? Probably not. I may tell her a used original ipad would be fine ($200 or less?) but you'd be too worried about it getting broken to get a new one that was $500+.

saczerwonka

Thanks for all your input!  I think I'm going to go with my gut on this and say no ipad just yet.  If the grandparents want to spend that much money on her birthday, I'll suggest something smaller/more age-appropriate and the rest for savings.  Like another poster said, with this particular set of grandparents this would be just the beginning.  And we definitely don't have room for a pony at our house!  Now, if they wanted to buy us a new house for a birthday present, that'd be another discussion...

DragonflyBelle

Tell them to send the iPad to me?