My kindergartner can't read, so no, she doesn't do this.

She does try to steal my phone all the time to take pictures or play pokemon. I rarely let her near it since it's my only phone and if she broke it or messed it up I'd be scrambling.

They have Ipads in her K class, so I hear no complaints about that, just excitement that she gets to use one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

Why? Generally curious.

Not the PP. But we are the same.

The kids are 6 and 9. Both know how to work an iPad, but rarely use them. Same with Minecraft.

Of course, if it were up to them, they'd have unlimited time with both. And access to our phones. But that's not the way things work in our house. Phones are for adults only. Always. And iPad, computer, and TV time is very limited.

What do they do instead? They they play games or read (actual books) by themselves or together for hours at a time. Or they play basketball on the driveway. Or make up stuff in the basement. Same when friends come over.

Both are doing very well in school. Teachers comment on their attention spans, ability to focus, and ease in navigating social stuff and transitions between activities.

We see the same at home. Very little conflict between them or with us. Very little pushback when it's time to stop something and move to the next thing (bedtime, leave for school etc.) They're not doormats. They have strong feelings and opinions about many things, but express them appropriately (most of the time).

Would they be this way if they had more screen time and access to our phones when we're out at restaurants, while we're waiting on line, or when we want to keep them occupied so we can do other things? Maybe. Maybe not.

My feeling is there's tons of non-screen stuff out there to stimulate, entertain, teach and occupy our kids. No downside to preserving space for those things as long as possible.

So far, so good in our house. YMMV.

I have an advanced reader at this age and she gets moderate screen time, sometimes educational and sometimes total crap. Ha. I think there is no connection.

Her younger sister shows no early reader signs and has the same amount of screen time. Different kids, different results.

For OP - This sounds pretty typical and also very cute for a kid in K.

You do realize you can use a kindle or an iPad as a reader and limit what you put on there. The device is not the issue, its what you put on there. No fun games, then the kids may not gravitate to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1. Our kids (3.5 and 7) don't get to access screens (of any kind) on their own. It's pretty atypical in today's day and age, but thanks to our no-screen rule, our 7 year old is a prolific reader and reads for a few hours each day along with shooting hoops...

You're not the only one, but I hope I'm not as smug as you!!

Well we have very limited screen time as well, and a non-prolific reader. Your child's reading is not necessarily a result of no screens.

My kid signs her texts with her age. "Grandma can you pick me up at 4? -6"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

Why? Generally curious.

Not the double standard that adults get smart phones and other gadgets and not kids. They want to pretend they are better than the rest of us. Moderation is always a good thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1. Our kids (3.5 and 7) don't get to access screens (of any kind) on their own. It's pretty atypical in today's day and age, but thanks to our no-screen rule, our 7 year old is a prolific reader and reads for a few hours each day along with shooting hoops...

Kids can have some screen time and enjoy reading too.

Anonymous wrote:Advanced ... No. He sound like a kid who was raised on screens.

Exactly

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1. Our kids (3.5 and 7) don't get to access screens (of any kind) on their own. It's pretty atypical in today's day and age, but thanks to our no-screen rule, our 7 year old is a prolific reader and reads for a few hours each day along with shooting hoops...

Well we allow screens and still have a prolific reader. Where's my mommy prize?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1. Our kids (3.5 and 7) don't get to access screens (of any kind) on their own. It's pretty atypical in today's day and age, but thanks to our no-screen rule, our 7 year old is a prolific reader and reads for a few hours each day along with shooting hoops...

You're not the only one, but I hope I'm not as smug as you!!

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1. Our kids (3.5 and 7) don't get to access screens (of any kind) on their own. It's pretty atypical in today's day and age, but thanks to our no-screen rule, our 7 year old is a prolific reader and reads for a few hours each day along with shooting hoops...

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

+1 minus the educational app. They have their whole adult lives for this screen addiction nonsense!

- kindergarten parent

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's particularly cognitively advanced. Most 3 year olds I know can take a pic with an iPhone by accessing the app, etc. It's not a challenging executive functioning exercise.

What it is though is a values thing. Are you comfortable with your child being familiar with your phone? Are you comfortable with them acting as if it is theirs and grabbing it when they get a bit older? Or accessing it and using it without your knowledge?

But my family is somewhat anti-screen, and our smart phones are for adult use only, with very rare occasions of supervised use for an educational app.

Why? Generally curious.

Of course your child is advanced. You live in the DMV, right? Every child here is advanced, don't you know?