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IPAD guilt
- Thread starter cryingrobot
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I don't have any kids myself... but some of my friends are big on limiting their kids to one or two hours of "screen time" per day. Their kids get to decide which screen they want to use that time for, e.g. television, computer or whatever. Seems to work pretty well since their kids still get the freedom to choose and prioritize.
good freaking god, you really came to a forum inhabited by 20-somethings for parenting advice?
Sometimes my husband throws a temper tantrum if I take my iPad away from him while he's playing Plants vs. Zombies. Unfortunately he outweighs me by roughly 100lbs, making enforcement and boundary-setting difficult. Should I feel guilty for tasering him in this situation?
If you happen to live in a household that can afford to buy an extra iPad for your child, then great. Although I can't imagine myself giving my child a $500.00 device that will be a write-off the first time it gets dropped on the hard floor or cracked against the side of it's sibling's head. In the case of the OP it is absolutely about enforcing boundaries and spoiling your child. What if his child wanted to take his laptop or his cell phone or anything else that was essential. Is he supposed to just let him have it and buy another one? No, you simply tell the child " I'm sorry Johnny but that daddy's and he needs that for work". Sure, he'll throw a tantrum and cry for a minute, but he'll get over it.
And by the way, a lot of us ARE parents.
My wife lets the kids play simple games on her iPhone, supervised.
I have one 6 year old, and triplet 3.5 years old. Me I do not let the touch the new iPad, or my iPhone, but when we get new iPhones, they will get ours (converted to iTouches) so they can play with some of the apps.
If I had the money I would get them an iTouch each.
and I have to set boundaries and enforce them i do not want my kids to be evil brats when they get older.
I have one 6 year old, and triplet 3.5 years old. Me I do not let the touch the new iPad, or my iPhone, but when we get new iPhones, they will get ours (converted to iTouches) so they can play with some of the apps.
If I had the money I would get them an iTouch each.
and I have to set boundaries and enforce them i do not want my kids to be evil brats when they get older.
Please appreciate the context of the statement you quoted.
The OP is not soliciting advice on boundaries. He set the boundaries. That's not the issue of this thread. That was a splinter topic resulting from a thread hijack. As you'll notice, I expanded on that opening statement.
Unrelated to your comment, but I purchased the SquareTrade warranty for our family iPad. No brainer.
My 1 1/2 year old loves the iPad too. I'll let him play on the Beatwave and Baby Scratch for a while before taking it back to surf. He'll cry a little of course, but I'm only teaching him to share. 
(My wife has already figured out that my son knows more about it than she does...ouch!)
(My wife has already figured out that my son knows more about it than she does...ouch!)
I'll be honest. I bought an iPad for my kids, but they are 9, 11, and 13. They understand that it is to share and I regulate the time as fairly as I can.
Would I buy one for a 3 year old? No, but only because they would likely not use it enough to justify a $500 purchase. That's my opinion, but ultimately it is YOUR $500.
If you do decide to get one for them, then also take a look at SquareTrade. They will fix or replace it with no deductible if it does get broken. I know it seems like a lot compared to the price of the unit, but if they do replace it you can then sell the iPad to at least recoup that loss if you then decide to not let your 3 year old use it.
It is up to you, but if the $500 is not a hardship, then why not? I certainly wouldn't put myself in a financial bind for it, but if it can be regulated and monitored, your child will get a benefit from it.
Even though you live in HK, there might still be a way to get it to you.
Would I buy one for a 3 year old? No, but only because they would likely not use it enough to justify a $500 purchase. That's my opinion, but ultimately it is YOUR $500.
If you do decide to get one for them, then also take a look at SquareTrade. They will fix or replace it with no deductible if it does get broken. I know it seems like a lot compared to the price of the unit, but if they do replace it you can then sell the iPad to at least recoup that loss if you then decide to not let your 3 year old use it.
It is up to you, but if the $500 is not a hardship, then why not? I certainly wouldn't put myself in a financial bind for it, but if it can be regulated and monitored, your child will get a benefit from it.
Even though you live in HK, there might still be a way to get it to you.
accept my cat died on monday, the day I got my iPad
Cue the "OMG I'M SUING APPLE - IPAD KILLS ALL CATS!!!!" threads
(Not directed at you munkees, sorry for your cats. It can be hard when we lose pets. Seriously.)
Great, now I have to clean the screen of my son's MacBook because I just spewed soda all over it... That sounds like something my wife would do.
Seriously, how much is too much and how young is too young?
When my son was 2 years old my company had a drawing for a laptop and he himself put his card in the box (with a little help from my wife filling it out) and won.
He was already playing games like "Little Monster" on my Mac, so he was allowed to play "Educational" games with supervision.
Now at 15 we can't get him off of the "Screens." His brother's macbook, his own iPod, Wii or PSP...
Since he is already a year ahead in school and making straight A's, helps out with chores and is involved in a lot of community service and holds a state level office in a service organization... there's not a lot to use for punishment.
Hopefully your child will turn out well adjusted, too.
Thanks, he was the best cat ever, we bonded and were close, he took a chunk of my heart when he died, so I buried him close by with a water fountain on top to remember him by.
dont suppose you could come to the uk and start educating the dysfunctional morons that have families here could you???
its getting absurd in this country
We have a program on TV here in the US about a Brit that trains peoples ........... No wait, that's their dogs that she helps them correct.
ha ha
send the brit back will you , we need urgent help........ or the culling of a generation or two
although cant see the eu letting us as its against human rights or whatever
send the brit back will you , we need urgent help........ or the culling of a generation or two
although cant see the eu letting us as its against human rights or whatever
Very cute. I find I enjoy watching my kid play with it more than using it myself.
BTW, can you recommend any apps? The Ms Spider one is really good. My son also likes the train conductor app though he just figured out recently the object is not to crash the trains.
ha ha
send the brit back will you , we need urgent help........ or the culling of a generation or two
although cant see the eu letting us as its against human rights or whatever
We have another TV show in the US called The Nanny and I think the lady that stars in it is from England too. She goes into peoples homes and helps them be better parents and straighten little Johnny and Susie out too. Usually it's the parents that need straightening out over the kids since kids really don't know better most of the time.
My 2 1/2 year old son has taken to our iPod touch (plays games, can watch cartoons etc) but he doesn't get it all the time and knows that its ours and will return it when told generally.
He also knows that the iPhone is mine and will hand it over when i tell him to without question (he gets virtually no access to this since its my main phone and use it for work etc and has no apps/videos for him on it).
I only today (after a week) showed him the iPad but i won't be allowing him to use this unsupervised like we do the iPod...
Besides on the iPad the only games for him are some edutainment so we kinda can have fun together with it so its a joint activity.
He also knows that the iPhone is mine and will hand it over when i tell him to without question (he gets virtually no access to this since its my main phone and use it for work etc and has no apps/videos for him on it).
I only today (after a week) showed him the iPad but i won't be allowing him to use this unsupervised like we do the iPod...
Besides on the iPad the only games for him are some edutainment so we kinda can have fun together with it so its a joint activity.
