Tablets.

[Anonymous]

At what age did you get your child a tablet type thing? I don't even know where to begin. We have avoided it so far, but DS will be 5 and I am thinking perhaps now is the right time to introduce it. DH and I each have a few kids apps on our phone, and DH has some on his Ipad... so DS has toyed around with apps a bit. But I think it would be nice to have a designated kid tablet for the car and such.

Any advice appreciated.

[Anonymous]

wait until he is asking for one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wait until he is asking for one.

+1. No child needs a tablet. But he will likely see kids with tablets at school and if he decides its something he wants, he'll start asking for it.

[Anonymous]

13:02 here - fwiw neither my 11yo or my 8yo have a tablet. Although they both liberally use mine. They both have touch ipods that they got around the age of 7 & 9.

[Anonymous]

I keep telling my kids I'm getting a tablet first, and I still don't have one yet (nor does their dad).

I think I'll get one soon, and the kids can use it too sometimes (they're 9 and 11)

And I think the "wait til they ask for one" answer is not too useful. If exposed to them, they'll ask for one at 2!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the advice. My next question would be, do you all have a home computer for them to use? We currently do not have one. My husband has a work lap top so we don't allow kids on that. I just use my phone. My lap top died and I didn't bother replacing it.

With no computer or tablet at home, will my kids be at any disadvantage? At what point will they need something at home for school work, etc.

[Anonymous]

My 8.5 year old has been begging for a year, but I'm not budging.

It's better that he has to share mine. He's an only child and lessons in sharing are few and far between.

[Anonymous]

I think it is better to start with a family electronic. It is not theirs. It is something the family shares. Gives you more control.

[Anonymous]

My almost 12 yr old and almost 9 yr old don't have their own. *I* have an iPad which I generously allow them to use sometimes.

[Anonymous]

We have a four and a six year old. We have two family tablets (an iPad and a Fire), but we use them almost exclusively for travel. Occasionally we will let them have 20 or 30 min. of tablet time on the weekend, but it's not a regular thing. It does make travel much easier (we travel across country a couple times a year to visit family), but I think it's probably good not to get into the habit of regular tablet use at this age.

[Anonymous]

2.5. It was a family iPad but it ended up becoming his with all the kids apps and we got our own. All were gifts.

[Anonymous]

Our fourth grade requires the children to have them. Private school outside DC