Giving a toddler an Ipad to play with is lazy parenting?

[aliss]

Everyone is a lazy parent according to someone else, we're all doing something wrong

 

[whit.]

Hmm, Sophia has her own ipad. I don't really limit her time on it per say, but she doesn't have it in her reach all of the time. She doesn't throw a fit when I take it from her and it keeps her distracted when I have to get something done. Some times, it is a life saver. When we go out to dinner we take things she can do (toys, books, coloring books, crayons, ect.) If those don't keep her happy while we're waiting - she can play on the ipad until our food comes. Keeps her happy and we don't have a toddler screaming the place down from being bored. Her speech is amazing, as well. She's 17 months old and can count to 3 and knows the letters in her name (and will spell it if we start it out for her with S). As long as you aren't replacing interaction/learning time with your child all day long - ipad is a great educational tool.

You could say I'm being a lazy parent right now. I'm browsing b&b and she's playing with her blocks.

 

[aliss]

Monster!

Both of mine are sleeping so I'm sitting on my ass and proudly doing F ALL.

 

[whit.]

She changed from blocks to books, I'm still browsing, as you see.

I play with her and interact with her the majority of the day when she wants me to. She's such an independent toddler though and sometimes would rather play on her own!

 

[Mummy2B21]

I think if you teach your children that tantrums aren't accepted then that would solve the problem. I mean if you accept those actions an iPad would have nothing to do with it, they would do it over not getting ny toy or going to bed when they don't want to or when they want chocolate.

I don't agree with this, Tablets/IPhones/Ds's etc can be very addictive throwing a strop over not wanting to go to bed and having a strop over not being aloud to play IPad etc is different to me, at there age they shouldn't be addicted to those kinds of things and the strop is based on not being able to feed there addiction not just getting there own way addiction is far worse imo.

 

[Foogirl]

I don't agree with this, Tablets/IPhones/Ds's etc can be very addictive.

It's not the medium that's addictive, its what's on it. Books can be addictive. Abby has a physical game she wants to keep playing and playing. Playing some simple flashcard, colouring or letter games on the i-pad is no more addictive than using physical items to do those things.

She's such an independent toddler though and sometimes would rather play on her own!

Oh I'm so jealous. If only Abby would play on her own.

 

[Tasha]

I don't agree with this, Tablets/IPhones/Ds's etc can be very addictive throwing a strop over not wanting to go to bed and having a strop over not being aloud to play IPad etc is different to me, at there age they shouldn't be addicted to those kinds of things and the strop is based on not being able to feed there addiction not just getting there own way addiction is far worse imo.

Most children have something they love doing that they dont want to stop. My son indoors it is playing transformers and Lego, outdoors football, my oldest daughter its reading and creative work like drawing, writing, and my youngest it is her dolls. Are they all classed as addicted to these things purely because when I tell them its time to stop they dont want to? And yes on occassions some of them will throw a tantrum about it. Or is it only classed as addiction if it involves a screen.

What about as adults, I am pretty sure we are the same in that there is something that we all enjoy doing and really dont want to stop and if we could throw a tantrum about it we would.

 

[Tasha]

As for the rest of the thread, I think a child willing to sit for four or five hours would be a rarity, most children would get up and move about before this time, get a bit bored, find something else to do. So the time scale is an extreme to provoke a reaction, which is normal in the media.

My children do have an ipad, it isnt unlimited and they do use it wisely (I okay all the apps that go on there) and not for extended periods of time. They've learnt a lot from it.

Also 100% agree about needing to be tech savvy. I mentioned in another thread but the school my children were at had about 20 ipads, 60 pc's and one laptop per two children throughout the school. It is so important they know how to use this but also it helps the school to be inclusive, like my son has various SEN and writing for any time more than say five minutes hurts him, like complete agony, he is going to be having therapy for this but in the mean time the laptops helped to not fall behind. Part of their assemblys had their powerpoint projects in the background, this stuff comes easy to them and it will help them in future life.

I will say I was pretty shocked to see six laptops set out on the tables on my youngest first day in reception class (start that the September after their fourth birthday). I dunno why, I guess I didnt think it needed to be done but can see on the other hand that it might of been a reassurance thing as most children would recognise one from home.

Also the tech-savvy thing means that when I got a new phone for Christmas this year and couldnt do something on it, my seven year old daughter came across took one look and two seconds later said there done. I asked how she did and she had to explain to me

 

[jojo_b]

I don't see the problem. I sit with Finand we play on my iPad together and talk about what he's doing. He plays on games where he has to find things or make meals for characters in the animation. We talk about what he decides to do and it's fun. It'd be different if I left him for hours on end without talking to him.

 

[lhancock90]

I love seeing statements like;

"I will never bottle feed/let LO watch TV/Let LO eat chocolate etc"

Because i know, the people who say these are still in a happy bubble of having the most well behaved and planned childhood for their children ever and i know that eventually, they will break.

There are days when Evelyns tantrums are so frequent and exhausting that i am happy, to snuggle on the sofa with a film or Peppa Pig, because i need a break or i become to stressed and worn out to handle her and Ivy. Perhaps there are other women who are better equipped, who don't need a distraction and can deal with a run of 20 tantrums in a couple of hours. I am not one of them. Sometimes, Peppa Pig is a bloody lifesaver.

I do also allow Evelyn, under my supervision (mainly because i love my phone) use various apps designed for children. Its not like shes on it all day every day and in moderation, whats the harm?

I completely understand the concern about generations of kids who are incredibly anti social however at the same time, technology is a fast moving thing, its incredibly powerful and a basic knowledge of PC's etc is helpful for future prospects. So i do intend to keep my kids up to date with these things, just in a moderate and healthy amount.

Ipads can be incredible for children who are autistic etc. I am fairly sure the Mothers of toddlers with certain conditions would disagree with some of you.

Finally, i am an avid reader. I will reread the same book hundreds of times until (quite literally) they fall apart, i hope to my children are as interested in reading as i am, however, as a kid, i spent an entire holiday glued to the latest Harry Potter book. My Mom called me antisocial. I wonder, for those angry at Ipads, would you feel the same if the kids had a book they refused to put down?

 

[KittyVentura]

Fin is pure addicted to puzzles. I'm sure we could get them all out and go on holiday... Come back and he'd STILL be doing them, undoing them, redoing them 4inches to the left, undoing them, trying to do them picture side down etc etc. We keep them on a high shelf out of his reach and let him only have them for a set time before encouraging him to play with something else. He is the same with books and his trains. Yeah... addictions are actial addictions and are baaaad, not standard child and toddler behaviour. How DARE I raise a toddler that enjoys these educational things so much. What a failure of a parent to allow an addiction right? I guess I should take his puzzles and books away right? Or even better, find a way to just stop him being a child... That ought fix it...

 

[Dezireey]

Who would let a toddler sit and do anything for hours?

Sorry was referring to a five year old, as mentioned in parts of my post.

*my 5 year old wouldn't sit still for hours, she likes to get moving and do 'stuff' and when she is engrossed in ANYTHING she doesn't listen to you, a book, arts and craft, the iPad, playmobil, there is no difference and yes both my girls use the iPad, we use it out as last resort and we do use it in restaurants when we have been waiting ages for food and they want to run round, or go somewhere or do anything other than sit and wait!

It is very very easy to sit here and say what you would do when your child is not that age and you are not in that situation xx

.. and its very easy of you to have absolutely no idea about my personal and past experiences with a five year old? You know my life do you? how odd. I have lived with my nephew on and off for the past two years and i was previously in a relationship with a man who had a child of this age. I have plenty of experience of knowing that 'some' five year olds sit and play on a tablet / phone/ ipod/ nintendo for a few hours. You have your experiences with this, I have mine, thank you very much.

 

[mayb_baby]

LO loves my iPhone and uses it well for his games, I use it to amuse him in the Drs as he hates it. I use it in the hair dressers or if we're out in general and nothing is peaceafying him.
I see no harm in using it as a distraction but no he would never have it for hours on end