Phones and tablets

blinnea23 · December 2013

HBirdies post about the iPad in a restaurant got me thinking. Will you let your LO play with your phones or tablets? I've been around many people,including family, whose kids constantly ask to play with their phone and sometimes they hand it right over and if they don't the kid throws a shit fit. Then sometimes even going around and asking others "do you have games on your phone? "

DH and I decided to not even once let DD play with our phones.

With the tablet, maybe when she gets older and they are learning games but even that will be restricted.

I realize that we may feel differently about this later but this is how we feel now.

What will you do?

amandakasy · December 2013

I've let DS play kids games on my phone but we are getting him a Leap Pad 2 for Christmas, so he will only be allowed to use that once he gets it.

llybeck · December 2013

Fiance's sister let's her son play with grandma's ipad and it drives me nuts. He isn't even two yet and he's so zoned out on that damn thing that you can't even interact with him when we're all together at my future MIL's house. And he freaks the fuck out if you don't give it to him the second he starts yelling for it, again, he's not even two!!!

I guess right now I look at this as a lazy way to get your kid to settle down and be quiet. There's no reason kids need that type of stimulation and it really bothers me that so many people let their kids use them. It's going to be one of those things where our kids think they need them because other kids get to have them, it's annoying.

EOB584 · December 2013

DD is almost 3 and DH let's her play with his phone on occasion. Normally a simple game that they play together or he'll pull up a YouTube video for her. She never asks to use it. She does ask to play games on the computer a few times a week but they are educational games from BabyFirst TV. I don't see a problem with some technology usage so long as its not all the kids do.

VitaLuna · December 2013

I plan on making the phone completely off limits. I don't have a tablet, and I don't plan on getting one. We plan on phasing out the laptops for a desktop instead, so that it's a little but more of a controlled thing (and so that the laptops aren't on all the time like they are now).

michelle7482 · December 2013

DD1 plays with the toddler apps occasionally. I have no problem with it in moderation and only download educational apps for her.

Shanmarie1083 · December 2013

DS plays with my phone and iPad. I personally don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like its permanently glued to him or anything. He's getting a kindle fire for Christmas this year with a few of his favorite games and movies on it. I don't understand why some people get uptight and judgey about what other people choose to do with their own children. 20 minutes of playing angry birds while at a restaurant or while stuck in traffic isn't going to harm my kid, and I'm certainly not a lazy parent for allowing him to do so.

blinnea23 · December 2013

Shanmarie1083 said:
DS plays with my phone and iPad. I personally don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like its permanently glued to him or anything. He's getting a kindle fire for Christmas this year with a few of his favorite games and movies on it.

I don't understand why some people get uptight and judgey about what other people choose to do with their own children. 20 minutes of playing angry birds while at a restaurant or while stuck in traffic isn't going to harm my kid, and I'm certainly not a lazy parent for allowing him to do so.

I understand that. However I will try my hardest to not have a child that freaks out when they don't get to play it or that asks others if their phones have games. So far that's all I've seen. My nieces are awful at that.

hmlynch84 · December 2013

I readily admit that I spend WAY too much time staring at my phone, iPad and the tv everyday. I definitely want my son to have more interests than technology. I know I don't want to give in to fits just because it's easy and gets them to calm down, although I haven't been in this situation before so I'm not sure how I will react. I foresee us putting limits on how much time can be spent on video games and iPads. I love my phone and don't really want a child playing with it.

Burrberrymum · December 2013

I'm on the non to little texhnogy train as well.. I just don't like the idea. To an extent, though. Our children will need to be more advanced in technology for the world they will live in, (jobs using iPhones/tablets to take orders etc) but as I see it she will learn more when it's necessary.

I HATE that when I visit with our niece that she is glued to the iPad. Playing silly games and cut off from being social with everyone else. She's obsessed with it, and grandparents hand it over to her right away. All the time. If I do let my daughter use my phone or whatever it is, it will most likely be a designated time of the week that she has earned the privilege to play some educational games.

I'm sure she will make me feel like the bad guy when grandma and grandpa let her cousins play all day long on the iPad and I'm making her color a book, or build a block tower.

JLMcWeeney · December 2013

My nephews will ask for people's phones at family gatherings too. They don't get mad if you don't want to hand yours over though. They will play them for hours and hours. I don't really know if it is bad or good. I mean if you kid is super into stacking blocks or playing with a toy car, would you take it away because they you think they are obsessed with it?
Legit question because I don't like constant technology, and I really don't like it if it hinders social interaction. But it makes me wonder if I would take away any other toy just because it was interfering with social interaction.

Also confession: I have a visual stimulation game for babies on my phone that my 4 month old loves. He bops the screen and giggles at the changing sounds and pictures. If I am on my phone and he can reach it, he is always trying to touch the screen.

olga1311 · December 2013

I don't see A problem with letting my child play with my phone/iPad. I will have some restrictions but definitely will let her play a fairly good amount if she wants to.

krose0713 · December 2013

I think saying "no technology" is a bit closed minded. Our country is extremely technology based, and that's not always a bad thing. There are wonderful educational programs available. I agree an iPad shouldn't be your child's babysitter and only used when appropriate, but I will definitely expose LO to lots of forms of technology.

missmuffin87 · December 2013

There really are a lot of educational apps that are very very good. My DD's preschool teaches a program called "handwriting without tears" which also has an ipad app so she can practice the same techniques at home that she's learning at school. By doing this she can actually get ahead of the game. There's nothing wrong with utiliziing technology to help improve your child's performance in school and that can start in preschool or even earlier. DD has been identifying letters and sounds and counting objects (not just memorizing numbers) for a year now because of the Montessori educational apps. We dont have video watching apps or ones that don't teach skills, but I'm happy to let her play with the ipad and choose which educational app she wants to play.

kgravil85 · December 2013

I believe I will raise LO that phones are absolutely not toys. That said, I don't see anything wrong with him having the privilege to use an iPad or tablet on occasion. There are tons of educational apps and I'm sure we can find a balance between everything.

janelleashu · December 2013

I've thought about this a lot and haven't quite decided where I come out. I am concerned about my LO looking at screens because of 1- ADHD. I feel like all the colors and movement and noise increases a kud's distractibility. I don't want to take away my LO's ability to just sit and focus. 2- self-soothing. I want my kid to be able to daydream like a champ. I feel like technology really interferes with a kid's ability to find respite in his or her own mind.
The high schoolers I teach are so attached to their phones it is ridiculous. Truly, for many of them it is an addiction. I see it greatly and directly impacting their ability to read, write and think.
I don't think limiting programs to just educational really addresses my concerns.

On the other hand, I agree with Loppy and others who point out melt down or other situations where it just makes sense. Especially before your child can read! Coloring books just aren't that interesting, IMHO.

So, I think I'll try to limit my own technology consumption and purchasing so that I just have to figure out other options for my LO.

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