IPAD addiction in toddlers

[petite ping]

This is a good article on IPAD addiction in kids.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...The-day-I-realised-toddler-addicted-iPad.html

I saw this happen with some of my friend's kids. No tablets for my LO until she's 21!!!

 

[AP]

Can totally happen with overuse.

But I read this article the other day and hes cut the use to 2 hours a day. I think 2 hours is excessive in the first place so goodness knows how much time he was having before.

However Alex has had her iphone/ipad from 1/2. Everything in moderation but it sure has changed her life. Theres positives and negatives, you just have to ensure it's used in the right way.

 

[overcomer79]

Not letting my kids handle something so expensive.

 

[sue_88]

In the society we live in today, it's very important that children are actually exposed to all these new devices that are around like computers and now tablets.

My LO will use my, and get her own at some point. But overuse can of course lead to problems, but 10/15mins here and there will be beneficial, in my view.

2 hours (that has already been cut down) is way too much.

 

[Tiff]

Claire uses ours quite often actually. But its helped her leaps and bounds and she still wants to interact (as much as she can with her Autism) with other kiddos and has interests in other things. If we tell her to put it down, she does.

She doesn't seem like she's addicted to it, yesterday she went almost the entire day without using it. Not because we told her she couldn't, she just didn't want to.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I can definitely see how it happens.
I'll admit, hands down, I am addicted to my iPhone. The amount of time spent with it in my hand during the day greatly exceeds my time without it. And when it's not in my hand, it's usually because I'm at a computer, and then it's right next to me.

Even though I'm not very good at limiting myself I don't let Lucas use mobile devices excessively. I won't buy an iPad for this reason (he uses my sister's now and then), though he has an Innotab that I allow him to use once or twice a week. He gets a go on my phone now and then too.
I do think that these technologies are very much a part of life today, but they are very addictive and I'd rather he had too little access that too much.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I can see how easy it would be for them to become addicted to iPads. I think it's important that they get introduced to technology as we do live in a very technology-based world these days, but it's important that it's not used as a babysitter and that it aids in their learning.


Holly plays different games on our iPad such as drawing and bubble popping. If we let her have unlimited access to it then I've no doubt she would use it allllll the time, so we do limit her use.

 

[JASMAK]

Wow!!

 

[Bex84]

I don't have iPad but have hudl, lo has the odd 10 minutes but not that interested, we play occasionally on computer together once in a blue moon, she has an innotab which she likes the colour in thing and art pad and watched a film when we got stuck in traffic once, lo isn't that interested, but me and dh arnt on that often, my lo would rather be doing art or playing imaginative games such as dolls house, her babies, dinosaurs or kitchen. If she does use it we do together but she doesn't often ask

 

[lhancock90]

I absolutely think tablets etc are important for kids. Technology is such a huge part of life now. They need to understand it. But the amount of time we allow Evelyn and Ivy is limited. Less than an hour a day.
I have to say Evelyn's counting is incredible and she's starting to read thanks to various apps

 

[Eternal]

I don't think technology is evil and it's part of our lives and going to have a bigger impact on our children's likes, they use iPads at my child's school for example.

But it's no replacement for parenting, neither is tv etc. I have three children my twins are 2 and can both use the iPad, they enjoy it but they only play with it for about 30 minutes once a week, they have a broad range of things like do and enjoy, including books, imaginary play, outside play, drawing etc.

However i Also have a 4 year old, who spend a great deal of time on the iPad, he has autism amongst other things, and only just realising how severe things are with him, he has many issues, he doesn't like other children, even his brothers, (he loves them but they are too loud and he lashes out constantly at them when they get too close). He usually can't deal with noise or normal play, he doesn't have the concentration for books, drawing etc. school, is a nightmare and I was yesterday told by the head that realistically we are probably looking at special schools as Sam is so severe. He has very violent meltdowns and is constantly hyper sensitive to everything, however the iPad, or games chill him out, it's not something i like and I feel extremely judged that people think it's bad parenting, but it helps him so much and he learns so much, I've spoken to so many professionals, and they all say go with it. So he comes home from school in a state (he finishes at 1030 as that's how long they can cope with him) and he gets the iPad for an hour or two, he is then much calmer and usually needs more tech time about dinner time as he is just over stimulated and stressed out by then again, and then after an hour he is fine, evenings are better as the twins are asleep and he is able to have quiet time, but for us the iPad is a life saver.

I cannot ever see the twins wanting that amount of time, the have so many interests and abilities that my 4 year old doesn't, they will sit and cuddle, they can watch tv (he cannot cope with tv, or rarely anyway) they love to play with me or each other.

I think those parents who used computers games, tv etc to babysit their kids will use iPads to babysit their kids, I think those who use resources sensibly will continue to do so, but for parents of special needs kids, and it seems fairly common in ASD children, iPads can be such an amazing resource, you can get apps that help the children verbalise how they feel, which is much more hardly than cards etc.

 

[Natsku]

As in everything, moderation is the key, and also knowing your child and their own particular quirks. I won't let Maria play with iPads/tablets at this age because I already know, from her personality and attitude towards electronics, that she would get addicted, so something so potentially addicting needs to wait until she is older and has better self-control and understanding.

 

[TriChick]

I can definitely see how it happens.
I'll admit, hands down, I am addicted to my iPhone. The amount of time spent with it in my hand during the day greatly exceeds my time without it. And when it's not in my hand, it's usually because I'm at a computer, and then it's right next to me.

Even though I'm not very good at limiting myself I don't let Lucas use mobile devices excessively. I won't buy an iPad for this reason (he uses my sister's now and then), though he has an Innotab that I allow him to use once or twice a week. He gets a go on my phone now and then too.
I do think that these technologies are very much a part of life today, but they are very addictive and I'd rather he had too little access that too much.

This is me, and something I am trying to overcome. Embarrassed to say it, but I got into a heated discussion on a friend's FB post the other day regarding nursing in public (but that's neither here nor there in this convo), and actually EXCUSED MYSELF TO GO TO THE "BATHROOM" while out at dinner with the OH and LOs so that I could post a rebuttal. Later, I was feeding LO with one hand and holding my iPhone with the other, pinning playroom ideas on Pinterest. It was at that moment that it hit me: 'WTF am I DOING?!" I looked over to see my 2-year-old watching me and observing my misguided prioritization. Mommy fail big time.

However, I can agree that apps (much like a little Sesame Street) can be helpful if in moderation. Harrison is a champ at counting to 10 and number recognition, as well as belting out the ABC song. Lol I'm pretty sure the majority of that knowledge hasn't come from my efforts to motivate him with the boring flashcards we have, but rather watching Elmo and The Count sing those catchy little songs on TV and the iPad. hey, if it works it works

 

[petite ping]

I think that technology is a big part of our children's future but I don't think it is necessary to expose them to it so soon.

I didn't get my first PC before I was 17, but I am capable of writing a program, carrying out complex calculations and using most of the software found in the workplace. I don't think I needed any specialist knowledge or long term exposure to work out how to use a tablet or a smart phone.

I think that the LO can learn to read and count just as well if I spend the time with her teaching her to read and count.

I heard that children who use technologies early tend to be less developped in terms of motricity. I would much prefer the LO to be running about in the garden than tapping at moving images on a screen.

My OH is particulary worried about the longterm effects of exposure to the radiation and the wifi on these devices on children as there is no real research to show that they are completely harmless.

 

[Bex84]

For me personally i believe that its important to teach children to use imagination,to enjoy books and many other things before learning to use a computer. It is those skills which will help them and one they wont have as much time to build at school. My lo learns more going for a walk then from a computer. Of course in moderation they can good especially for certain children. I only started using a computer at high school and i am competent at using it as well as taught many children how to use one. As pp said they have years for those skills and knoledge becomes quickly out dated anyway. Those times that they can play an imagine all day which allows them to develop own ideas and to be someone who is able to be the one to think outside the box are short lived

 

[Shadowy Lady]

yes they should be exposed to technology but I think how much is important. My toddler is 1.5 year old and I don't let her handle the iPad at all.

One of my closest friends' toddler is definitely addicted to her mom's iPad. She's 20 months old and will only eat if the iPad is on and playing her fave cartoon. She will also only go to sleep if she had been on the iPad first for at least 30 mins.

 

[overcomer79]

my son has a leappad....as long as he continues to think it is an ipad then we are good

 

[vaniilla]

DS has a kindle and he loves it but I wouldn't say he's addicted, we use the time limit on it and when it runs out he puts it down and moves on to something else.

 

[emyandpotato]

I really worry about this. I don't use my phone or OH's iPad very often, but I use my laptop a lot because I work/study at home and everything's on it. OH uses technology a lot. Rory recently has been getting obsessed! He's already obsessed with the telly and begs for it all the time, no matter what we're doing. The past few weeks though he's been going and finding the iPad/someone's phone, and playing on it or finding videos- I don't even know how he does it! He often gets really upset if we take it away or if he sees a phone he isn't allowed to play on. It's crazy! We restrict time on it to only short periods, often in the morning so we can have an extra ten minutes in bed, but he's still managed to get all toddler crazy over using it