I find it odd that many people are defending letting their kids have excessive screen time by saying "well schools do it."

Yes they do, which is why we limit our kids' screen time so much when they aren't in school. the point here is that kid's NEED to learn how to spend 20 minutes in a restaurant or waiting room or anywhere either engaging with their parents or actively entertaining themselves with a quiet activity like drawing, playing with magnetiles, or reading/looking at a book. This is an important life skill they will need for decades to come, and if both schools AND parents just park kids on screens to avoid actually teaching them how to do it, we're going to wind up with a whole society of zombies (yes, even more than we already do).

Someone has to teach kids how to function without a screen in front of their face, and if it's not going to be schools than parents need to redouble their efforts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

You’re a riot.

Answer - many creative, resourceful people in the good old days before toddlers (like yours, obviously) became screen zombies!

No.

-Someone who worked in restaurants where a holes like you let your kids make a mess. (And now I have a DCUM prestigious job after going to an HYP and can smell this kind of entitlement a mile away during the hiring process.)

+1 yeah when my kid starts playing with salt/pepper/sugar we give her a screen to play the same "educational" games she plays at school

Sad. Your kid learns more using their imagination playing with random objects at the table than they do “educational” games. People really believe all the lies Big Ed Tech sold them

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

You’re a riot.

Answer - many creative, resourceful people in the good old days before toddlers (like yours, obviously) became screen zombies!

No.

-Someone who worked in restaurants where a holes like you let your kids make a mess. (And now I have a DCUM prestigious job after going to an HYP and can smell this kind of entitlement a mile away during the hiring process.)

+1 yeah when my kid starts playing with salt/pepper/sugar we give her a screen to play the same "educational" games she plays at school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

You’re a riot.

Answer - many creative, resourceful people in the good old days before toddlers (like yours, obviously) became screen zombies!

No.

-Someone who worked in restaurants where a holes like you let your kids make a mess. (And now I have a DCUM prestigious job after going to an HYP and can smell this kind of entitlement a mile away during the hiring process.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

You’re a riot.

Answer - many creative, resourceful people in the good old days before toddlers (like yours, obviously) became screen zombies!

No, it’s extremely inappropriate. Bring books and toys. Lazy parents.

+100.

Anonymous wrote:I don't eat at cava and I wouldn't give a kid a phone as they can use an ipad or kindle. You have no idea what they are doing on it. Educational stuff is fine.

It’s not.

I don’t judge anyone on an airplane or at a wedding, because most people are only doing that once a year. Anywhere else, I judge.

https://www.zerotothree.org/

-NP

Anonymous wrote:What is the difference between a kid on a coloring book while parents talk and a kid watching bluey while parents talk?

Coloring helps kids develop their fine motor skills. It requires kids develop and execute a plan. It's an activity that kids and parents can talk about. Watching Bluey is passive. Maybe the content is educational but that's about it. Big difference.

So? There aren't enough episodes to be watching Bluey 24/7.

Anonymous wrote:What is the difference between a kid on a coloring book while parents talk and a kid watching bluey while parents talk?

Coloring helps kids develop their fine motor skills. It requires kids develop and execute a plan. It's an activity that kids and parents can talk about. Watching Bluey is passive. Maybe the content is educational but that's about it. Big difference.

I totally agree with you, but the experts in charge of our school systems seem to disagree as they put children in front of screens daily and don't even teach handwriting

What is the difference between a kid on a coloring book while parents talk and a kid watching bluey while parents talk?

Coloring helps kids develop their fine motor skills. It requires kids develop and execute a plan. It's an activity that kids and parents can talk about. Watching Bluey is passive. Maybe the content is educational but that's about it. Big difference.

Anonymous wrote:OP I agree with you.

+2

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

My kid and I play table football with the sugar packets when we go out. It’s quite fun and no screens involved!

I do let her steal my phone to play chess on occasion though. Oh no, I’m a horrible screen enabling mom!

No one wants you touching their sugar. Not appropriate

So you’d prefer if my kid were watching a screen than playing a game with me? If you’re that much of a germaphobe, I’d carry your own sugar packets. I’m sure they go through much worse than being pushed across the table in a lively fave of sugar packet football

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

My kid and I play table football with the sugar packets when we go out. It’s quite fun and no screens involved!

I do let her steal my phone to play chess on occasion though. Oh no, I’m a horrible screen enabling mom!

No one wants you touching their sugar. Not appropriate

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

You’re a riot.

Answer - many creative, resourceful people in the good old days before toddlers (like yours, obviously) became screen zombies!

No, it’s extremely inappropriate. Bring books and toys. Lazy parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

Rude, wasteful and gross. Who does that?

My kid and I play table football with the sugar packets when we go out. It’s quite fun and no screens involved!

I do let her steal my phone to play chess on occasion though. Oh no, I’m a horrible screen enabling mom!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brilliant SIL taught me about keeping a ziploc bag of crayons, coloring books, sticker books and a thomas the tank engine catalog for my toddler when we went to restaurants.
Always got compliments on how well behaved they were.
But no, it as the ziploc bag they needed to compliment.

Ha. We called them “sugar toys” - little dump trucks and the like that we would bring out at the table while waiting for the food. Open the sugar packets and have at it!

And make a mess for the restaurant staff! What a great example you’re setting! Well done!

This. I judge parents who let their kids run amok, ruining the dining experience for everyone, more than parents who put on a silent show for 20 minutes to keep their kids occupied. It's a tool, just like everything else.

+100