"No iPads / iPhones for our kids" rollcall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. My kids have iPhones and the ONLY people they communicate with them are their friends that have them. My kids are also very technically savy generally - one has even designed video games and another is adept at programming. All these skill were learned through school or camps. My kids are around adults quite a bit and, thus, they are well mannered and able to talk about many "worldly" things. They look you in the eye and are very engaging. In fact, they get compliments on it. Also, they are athletes. They play plenty of games. So when they "play" on their iPhone, it is mostly waiting for rides or in the car.

So I think it is dangerous to generalize that these kids are anti-social, "ADD" geeks. Like anything, parents have to be vigilant in monitoring the use. But I do not think that the technology itself is damning.

so, same as guns then?

[Anonymous]

when we got an i-phone I thought it was a phone. Have caught DC in bed after 11:30 texting, scrolling thru the internet. These things are pernicious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. My kids have iPhones and the ONLY people they communicate with them are their friends that have them. My kids are also very technically savy generally - one has even designed video games and another is adept at programming. All these skill were learned through school or camps. My kids are around adults quite a bit and, thus, they are well mannered and able to talk about many "worldly" things. They look you in the eye and are very engaging. In fact, they get compliments on it. Also, they are athletes. They play plenty of games. So when they "play" on their iPhone, it is mostly waiting for rides or in the car.

So I think it is dangerous to generalize that these kids are anti-social, "ADD" geeks. Like anything, parents have to be vigilant in monitoring the use. But I do not think that the technology itself is damning.

so, same as guns then?

So you are equating an iPhone or iPad to a firearm? Never had my iPhone accidently discharge.....but ok.

My point is that anything is bad if there is not adequate supervision. So is the answer to ban the device and make it the "forbidden fruit" or allow it with tight rules and restrictions? All comes to down to your parenting style I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else besides our family of this mindset? Our kids are 9 and 12 and they simply do not need these electronic distractions. They play ACTUAL games and ACTUALLY communicate with others. I see no need to hook them on the ADD-friendly tech bandwagon at this age.

Who else?

My kids don't have iPhones because it is soooo expensive. My H and I only have phones that were provided by our work.

I come from a family that did not listen to music because my parents did not like the lyrics and I missed out on a lot of communication with friends at work because I did not know what they were talking about, the song they were singing, etc. It actually made me less social.

So, I don't think you should limit it so much that it makes your child the "odd man out", like I was.

So the family has an iPad - the kids rarely use it.

They both have an iPod. I would say it is a rare day that my oldest spend 1/2 hour on this device. He is busy and has lots of homework. He is very active in sports, band, volunteer, playing with friends and spending time with family.

My youngest is very technology oriented so we limit his use. But he is still active in 2 sports, has good grades, plays with neightborhood friends, gets good grades, etc. Texting usually involved "when will you be home" so he can play with his friends.

In addition my kids are dyslexic so they use Learning Ally and a flashcard applicatoin.

So I guess I am not seeing what you are worried about.

[Anonymous]

15:16 again: I also would like to add, I think it is my responsibility as their parent to teach them how to use these devices responsibly.

[Anonymous]

OMG OP you are so awesome and superior to all parents who choose to allow their kids access to these evil ADD inducing porn streaming devices. Kudos!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My kids are very comfortable with technology, but I don't want them to be passive consumers of it, and I think iPads do a lot more for consumption than creation.

OP, here -- Your comments above were very well-worded!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

"ADD" geeks

No one said "ADD geeks." It was a reference to training kids to have a gnat's attention span from a very young age.

[Anonymous]

My son has ADHD and an iPad. Doing his homework thru Google Drive on his iPad has been really, really great. Oh, and he has an iPhone. And he had ADHD way before he had any i-device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has ADHD and an iPad. Doing his homework thru Google Drive on his iPad has been really, really great. Oh, and he has an iPhone. And he had ADHD way before he had any i-device.

I'm sure it's doing wonders for him, then.

[Anonymous]

Our kids had very low-tech childhoods (no tech) until high school.

Best decision we made. They agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG OP you are so awesome and superior to all parents who choose to allow their kids access to these evil ADD inducing porn streaming devices. Kudos!

+1

Its a little pathetic that OP feels the need to both brag and insult kids with ADHD who enough to deal with.

My kids didn't have these things at that age either. And then when they got older they did. Life has a funny way of evening out all those parents who feel so superior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else besides our family of this mindset? Our kids are 9 and 12 and they simply do not need these electronic distractions. They play ACTUAL games and ACTUALLY communicate with others. I see no need to hook them on the ADD-friendly tech bandwagon at this age.

Who else?

Yea....and your kids will be at my house and we will not be able to get them to put my son's iPad down. My son had one and, luckily for us, we are diligent parents who make sure that the kid does not become obsessed with it. Interestingly enough, the app he uses most is the Kindle app to read books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else besides our family of this mindset? Our kids are 9 and 12 and they simply do not need these electronic distractions. They play ACTUAL games and ACTUALLY communicate with others. I see no need to hook them on the ADD-friendly tech bandwagon at this age.

Who else?

Yea....and your kids will be at my house and we will not be able to get them to put my son's iPad down. My son had one and, luckily for us, we are diligent parents who make sure that the kid does not become obsessed with it. Interestingly enough, the app he uses most is the Kindle app to read books.

Huh. We try for a moderate amount of electronics, which works better than some times than others. My kids have friends who get more screen time, and some of them have no interest in anything else.

[Anonymous]

I'm with you, my kids won't have them.