People often do a double-take when I tell them my three-year-old daughter has her own iPhone. And I’m always quick to clarify: she uses Steve’s old phone, which would have been otherwise disposed of.
It’s a contentious parenting issue – technology for children. Some are absolutely against it, some think it’s wonderful and others, like me, are somewhere in between.
Abbey’s phone is not connected to anything – no spending hundreds of dollars on phone calls and accidental app downloads, thank you! – and just has a few apps, photos and videos on it. We give it to her very rarely, saving it for times that desperate measures of distraction are required. We used it when we took her to Samoa with us last year, and it helped with all the eating in restaurants required on a holiday. (Very boring when you’re not even two!) We take it on long car trips and pull it out if she’s about to do something terrible like fall asleep at 4pm. And it comes out every so often when
It’s one of the luxuries of modern parenting – having tools at our disposal for heavy duty distraction – but I believe it needs to be used carefully so it isn’t seen by them as a replacement for play or books.
To me, it’s all about moderation. Her favourite apps range from the annoying, like Talking Tomcat with whom she argues about whose mum I am (‘she’s my mum’ – which the cat repeats – ‘no, MY mum’ – repeat – ‘MY MUM!’), to the educational memory games and shapes and counting games. We tried a new app recently – the new CBeebies free app, On The Go.
Given that Abbey had loved the CBeebies program, Get Squiggling, that we watched together, I was sure she’d like the app – but I think it’s suited to a slightly older age group than her.
There are some lovely things on offer in this app: memory games, puzzles, short programs to watch, and lots more. My issue with the app, though, lies in the navigation: you don’t know what a game is until you’ve clicked on it (you click on a character rather than an obvious activity), it takes a while to load each game or go back to the menu, and once you find something you like it’s hard to track it down again. At one point, Abbey did find a good listing of the games and I tried to help her find something she might enjoy, but she accidentally pressed another option and we couldn’t find the list menu again. By the time we found a game, she was over the whole thing and chose to go back to an app she knew.
Basically, she was rather underwhelmed by it and soon got bored of the slow loading (this is the ultimate impatient generation!) and difficult to navigate menus. I was left wondering if a four- or five-year-old might enjoy the app a bit more.
For Abbey, though, it’s back to her old faves.
What’s your stance on iPhones, iPads and other technology for kids?
[Disclaimer - I am being paid by Kidspot to write this post in order to promote the new CBeebies app, On The Go. However, my views are not bought - everything I have written is my own opinion.]
22 comments:
My kids (3 and 5) love my iphone. They use it for taking photos and videos. They have talking books on there and they play apps. I also use it for long car journeys and doctors waiting rooms etc. At the moment their fav apps are the Peppa Pig and Little Princess Apps (did I mention they are both boys?) lol. They have apps for pure entertainment (virtual dinosaur) and those for education- shapes and letter recognition. Heck I am all for teaching them how to appropriately use technology. It would be a huge double standard for them to see me playing and talking on my iphone and then NOT letting them use it.
:)
This type of technology wasn't around when my kids were this young, the closest they got was hand held games like super Mario etc when they were aged 3, 5 and 7.
But I agree with what you're letting Abbey do, just play with the phone and become comfortable with using it, but not allowing constant use to the exclusion of normal activities.
Not at the expense of play - but to enhance play.
These little guys are entering a society run by technology - there is no avoiding it.
We just have to use it's powers for good, not evil!!
:-)
I dont think it can do any harm to give them a technological head start in life. As long as its not abused then why shouldnt they experience the magic of it? There are so many educational apps that it is more learning than playing in any case (and I am another guilty of handing over ipod when distraction is required!)
Talking Tom Cat is a huge hit at my house! That car is so annoying....but the kids get a kick out of it...so I let them play. I think that as long as there's a balance between technology and good old fashioned imagination, playing outside, cars and dolls...they'll turn out just fine :)
I agree balance is best. A little technology, so they are familiar with it is good. Not being familiar with technology is a detriment in life, unless you have servants to tend to it for you. On the other side, of course, is the people who "specialize" in the technology of the day, and all that is good for is selling iphones at the local shopping mall. The phone, like the car, is just a tool for life, and the parent is the one who must set the tone for the role the phone plays in the life of a child. good job! You mentioned loading times. While that is part of the technology, what will you teach to deal with waiting, as that can also be an important part of differentiating oneself from the short attention span now, now, now children, of which there are no shortage. Perhaps patience in decision making is also an advantage you can teach your child.
My recent run in with technology/toddler/parenting moment was when we went camping last week. My husband insisted on packing the laptop with some movies "just in case". I insisted my parents did just fine taking us camping without that kind of technology!
THANKFULLY we packed it because the last day it rained and rained and rained. We had a tiny one room cabin and my son went stir crazy. We ended the day with a movie that saved everyone's sanity.
I like how you said, "It’s one of the luxuries of modern parenting". It makes me feel like less of a camping failure!
I was 13 years old when I first got a cell phone. My niece is 7 years old and she has one, as do her friends and they call and text each other.
I find it mind boggling that a 7 year old is sending texts and making calls. But I can't fault it, we are in the age of technology and thee can be no harm in getting on the ladder very early on.
Our kids use ours for games, music, and videos. I don't see any harm in it at all...although I won't actually purchase something quite this pricey for my kids, letting them use what we already have can be a God send!
I would agree with "yes - in moderation." My 3 yo son has his own too (also one of our old 3G phones from before we upgraded to the 4). He has the wiggles videos, some Giggle and Hoot music and videos and a few games on it. It has definitely come in handy for distraction, and he doesn't want it ALL the time, so it's a good balance right now. As for having a phone that is actually a phone...I know that's a whole other topic, but I have no idea what age that will happen yet.
My kids are 4 and 5 and love my iphone. I let them take photos and play games on it. They love it and some of the apps I have are educational as well.
It is a godsend in places like doctors waiting rooms.
I don't think my kids will be getting their own phones until they are at least in high school.
Wow I must be a horrible parent! Neither my husband or I have iPhones, and we don't have an iPad either. My laptop is just that - mine! And our desktop computer is my husbands.
That said, perhaps its just because we don't have those that my kids don't get to play with them? And they are just 2 and 3 at the moment.
We do have a Wii and I have been showing them how to play some of the easy Wii Fit or Sports Resort games (they love 100 pin bowling, or skiing), and for when we're travelling, we have got DVD player that attaches to the back of our seat for them to watch - but only on long trips - so we do have some technology in their lives.
And come talk to me in a few years, but right now, there is no way my kids will be having their own phones before they're in high school - preferably when they're old enough to have jobs and pay for their calls themselves. They can use the home phone to make calls to their friends if they must.
It's so funny - there was a time when you could barely separate Riley from a phone but now she couldn't really care less - it's great for keeping her awake in the car or when she's bored on a long trip but when she's at home she's not that interested in it. So I guess it just goes to show you that given access to a whole variety of play activities things will even out given time.
I monitor what she uses when she's playing games and I think it's fantastic that she'll never have to learn how to use an ipad - she just knows.
We're relaxed on technology, but there's a time and place for it. Everything you use it for, we do to, and then some. I found the portable DVD player a lifesaver on long car trips when the 9yo was just 3. He's not addicted to tv at all.
I used to go with my parents every year from the age of 7 through to 14 on a nine hour road trip and I was SO BORED. I wish I'd had a DVD player or iPod or iPhone to play with. I can imagine I'd have asked, 'Are we nearly there yet?' a lot less times. ;)
I've never let my kids play with my phone. Mostly because the workaholic goes through enough of them without the kids contributing.
I am totally anti hand held and tv based elctronic games though.
I hate the lack of communication they promote and they are addictive, especially to certain personality types (our families are full of addictive people) and both my husband and I have to be the best at anything, be it a game or an addiction.
To back me up though so my family and friends don't buy them, I quote studies that show that brains are more active when asleep than when watch tv or playing these games. Also I figure they get enough technology at school or daycare, both which now have curriculums with IT integrated.
Oh and I grew up without TV as my parents were anti TV. It definitely promoted my love of reading and my card playing abilities! I guess I am my parents version of that, we have TV but I don't think they need anything else.
I completely agree with your post. How can people have such hot and cold stands on issues? It's just like t.v. It can rot your brain when used too much and in replacement of such things as ya know "life" but it's also a great educational too.
And sometimes have a sane parent is better than no technology at all.
I think that technology for kids is terrific. Then again, I'm nineteen years old so I may be a little biased since my generation seems to have cell phones and iPods glued to their hands at all times. But I have seen stories on my local news about how iPads and other such technology is being used to help young children and people with disabilities learn things that in the past they seemed to never be able to grasp, AND IT'S WORKING! Our world is evolving very quickly as far as technology is concerned and I think the earlier kids and people can learn to use it, the easier the transitions will be because it only seems to be getting more complicated and complex. I dont think such things as coloring books and playground should be abandoned completely, but as far as learning goes, ipads and such are great tools! dreamchasersdiaries.blogspot.com
wow this sounds good to me. am not married though i maytry this wen i am grow up with a child. and pls say HI to Abbey she looks cute on the pic :)
Absolutely! Technology all the way. Our kids love watching stuff on the iphone.
I'd also like to add this to the arena, my son has autism, thus he gets government (Fahcsia) funding, and we have been advised that if we wish we can purchase an ipad using some of this money. Kids with autism are very visual, so technology often helps aid communication and learning. Having said that we use the funding for therapy only, if we want an ipad I'd rather buy it myself.
The last thing I want to say, studying teaching, I'm a big believer in technology in the classroom. This means that using blogs, downloading information, viewing websites should all be part of learning. I even think that computer games should be studied as a text.......
It is a tricky decision isn't it? You want them to be familiar with technology - it is totally their world - but it just seems wrong to see kids spending their lives having 'screen time' all day and night. I don't know what the solution is... x
My iPhone has most of my child's story books. I use educational and playing stuff but only use it when I really need to. It's not really a big issue, she's not on it a lot.
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