Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also to the *cant concentrate crack*. My son when he first started st had a horrible time focus on tasks for long periods. One thing we worked on was getting him prek ready by teaching him to sit at a table and work. We really didnt see improvement in that regard until she introduced the iPad.

Read some of the considerable body of literature about the effects of TV on kids. Yes, they are concentrating, but that's b/c of the images. Good luck trying to get your kid to concentrate on anything not on a screen. You know, like an actual book or a worksheet. You're kidding yourself if you don't think phones, iPads or other gadgets aren't screen time - they are.

Well like I said upthread, we had great success getting my sn son to sit and attend to tasks for longer periods through the use of his therapist's iPad. Circle time went from being a nightmare of my having to constantly re seat him every 30 seconds to, according to his prek teacher this year, his favorite activity.

Thanks for wishing us luck on that, though. It was a really nice gesture.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither. Get them a book.

+10

No wonder children (and adults) can't concentrate anymore.

My son saw a private speech therapist (who is well respected in her field and head of her department) for two years. For the last 9 months she used her iPad very effectively as part of his therapy.

We spent the summer teaching my daughter who is in K to read. She was doing ok with the Bob books, but she really started to get it after I found her a few good phonics apps.

So yea. There's that.

There's a big difference between Angry Birds and therapeutic/instructional apps. So yeah, there's that.

+1

And for the "can't concentrate is crap" poster, I'm a teacher. I see the effects of it on a daily basis. Next.

Anonymous wrote:Also to the *cant concentrate crack*. My son when he first started st had a horrible time focus on tasks for long periods. One thing we worked on was getting him prek ready by teaching him to sit at a table and work. We really didnt see improvement in that regard until she introduced the iPad.

Read some of the considerable body of literature about the effects of TV on kids. Yes, they are concentrating, but that's b/c of the images. Good luck trying to get your kid to concentrate on anything not on a screen. You know, like an actual book or a worksheet. You're kidding yourself if you don't think phones, iPads or other gadgets aren't screen time - they are.

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not buy my kids any tablet, iPad or otherwise. If we had one, they could use it. But I wouldn't get them their own.

They have their entire adult life to be hooked on electronics. And tablets really aren't toys. They are allowed to use my iPhone on long trips, I think that's enough.

Yes, this. I am the PP who wrote saying no electronic toys but it's not like my kid never watches TV or videos on my phone when we need to keep him cool in public or on long car trips. But my kid knows that my phone is mine and that it is a privelege to play with it. You buy them an electronic "toy," you've killed that dynamic.

Anonymous wrote:

So don't download Angry Birds. If people have the means to give their child/grandchild a $200 gift then good on them. My kids share my Nook Tablet after I found I preferred my phone as it can do everything my NT does AND makes calls. There's no Angry Birds on it because *gasp* I'm the one who puts all the applications on it and I monitor how much time they spend playing with it and what they do while on it. You seem to think that tablets come preloaded with junk programs which are impossible to get rid of. That's not true. Even if it did come with things you don't want your special snowflake to be exposed to, it takes less than a minute to download an uninstaller from the app store.

I won't pretend like there are no fluff games but they're for after we finish working on say, DD's addition and subtraction apps or long car rides.

Actually, I have an ipad, so I know they don't come preloaded with Angry Birds, but I also know that what happens all too often, is that parents allow kids to load these games because they use the ipad or other tablet or smartphone as a babysitter. As for allowing the fluff games only after your child has done her math apps, you might consider some non-electronic games and activities you and your child can enjoy together. More fundamentally, there are even lots of fun ways to practice math that don't require a device at all. Finally, I would suggest that even if you have the means to purchase a $200 gift for your child (and I do, FWIW), that might not be the wisest course in terms of the values you're modeling.

You sound like a barrel of laughs.

We have an Ipad 2 that was bought for me and taken over by our child. I would get the Mini or an iPad 2-3-4 given the choice if you can afford it. There are far more kids and educational apps on the ipad and you can easily control what is on there vs. tv or other things. Its far cheaper to buy books on the Ipad as well as many other things. Its good for kids to use it in moderation and it has good learning tools.

Because it makes her feel superior to say so. Just like the crack about *considering non electronic games* for my child when she has no idea what I do or how I parent besides that I allow my child to use a tablet.

Anonymous wrote:

So don't download Angry Birds. If people have the means to give their child/grandchild a $200 gift then good on them. My kids share my Nook Tablet after I found I preferred my phone as it can do everything my NT does AND makes calls. There's no Angry Birds on it because *gasp* I'm the one who puts all the applications on it and I monitor how much time they spend playing with it and what they do while on it. You seem to think that tablets come preloaded with junk programs which are impossible to get rid of. That's not true. Even if it did come with things you don't want your special snowflake to be exposed to, it takes less than a minute to download an uninstaller from the app store.

I won't pretend like there are no fluff games but they're for after we finish working on say, DD's addition and subtraction apps or long car rides.

Actually, I have an ipad, so I know they don't come preloaded with Angry Birds, but I also know that what happens all too often, is that parents allow kids to load these games because they use the ipad or other tablet or smartphone as a babysitter. As for allowing the fluff games only after your child has done her math apps, you might consider some non-electronic games and activities you and your child can enjoy together. More fundamentally, there are even lots of fun ways to practice math that don't require a device at all. Finally, I would suggest that even if you have the means to purchase a $200 gift for your child (and I do, FWIW), that might not be the wisest course in terms of the values you're modeling.

Not the pp you're quoting, and I know I might get slammed for this, but why is a parent buying an easily affordable (for our HHI) $200 toy teaching poor values? This isn't a snippy question. I just can't think of what bad lesson I'm teaching my kids when I get them something that we can afford.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to say, love the middle school teacher who can't spell dinosaur.

sorry about the typo -- good catch, ladies

So don't download Angry Birds. If people have the means to give their child/grandchild a $200 gift then good on them. My kids share my Nook Tablet after I found I preferred my phone as it can do everything my NT does AND makes calls. There's no Angry Birds on it because *gasp* I'm the one who puts all the applications on it and I monitor how much time they spend playing with it and what they do while on it. You seem to think that tablets come preloaded with junk programs which are impossible to get rid of. That's not true. Even if it did come with things you don't want your special snowflake to be exposed to, it takes less than a minute to download an uninstaller from the app store.

I won't pretend like there are no fluff games but they're for after we finish working on say, DD's addition and subtraction apps or long car rides.

Actually, I have an ipad, so I know they don't come preloaded with Angry Birds, but I also know that what happens all too often, is that parents allow kids to load these games because they use the ipad or other tablet or smartphone as a babysitter. As for allowing the fluff games only after your child has done her math apps, you might consider some non-electronic games and activities you and your child can enjoy together. More fundamentally, there are even lots of fun ways to practice math that don't require a device at all. Finally, I would suggest that even if you have the means to purchase a $200 gift for your child (and I do, FWIW), that might not be the wisest course in terms of the values you're modeling.

13:26 here. THANK YOU!!

Anonymous wrote:

We spent the summer teaching my daughter who is in K to read. She was doing ok with the Bob books, but she really started to get it after I found her a few good phonics apps.

Can you list some of them??

IntelliJoy makes good ones and it's nice because they have free previews:
Kids ABC Letters
Kids ABC Phonics
Kids Learn to Read
Kids Numbers + Math

Luzac Media's made a *Montessori themed* app called Preschool Fun. The interface is a PreK classroom and you click on the objects to go to the activity.

My younger son has gotten the most milage out of Appquiz's
Memory Game but I wouldn't waste my money had I known that
Baby Explorer and Smart Kids Games both have a mini memory game in them

There's a few others on it, but those are the ones that we've gotten the most milage out of.

Also, there are Dr Seuss books you can get e-versions of where it reads to your child or your child can attempt to read it. The nice thing about the *read it myself* part is that if DD gets stuck on a word she can touch it and it will read it to her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My point is you luddite dinosaurs act like its ALL Angry Birds and brain rotting games. Reality is, its not just a new fangled electronic nanny. It can be a tool for enrichment as well as fun. And you dont have to spend a ton of money on a tablet either. Mini droid tablets start at $199 new.

I'm a former middle school school teacher, currently tutoring children in upper elementary and middle grades. I'm also the parent of 3 kids in their teen and college years. There are definitely wonderful, enriching ways to use an ipad, but the reality is that most young kids end up playing a lot of Angry Birds. In my experience, electronics are significantly affecting kids' ability to concentrate, entertain themselves and tap into their imagination and creativity. Finally, do you really think it makes sense to give a kid a $200 present?

sign me -- a happy Luddite dinasaur

So don't download Angry Birds. If people have the means to give their child/grandchild a $200 gift then good on them. My kids share my Nook Tablet after I found I preferred my phone as it can do everything my NT does AND makes calls. There's no Angry Birds on it because *gasp* I'm the one who puts all the applications on it and I monitor how much time they spend playing with it and what they do while on it. You seem to think that tablets come preloaded with junk programs which are impossible to get rid of. That's not true. Even if it did come with things you don't want your special snowflake to be exposed to, it takes less than a minute to download an uninstaller from the app store.

I won't pretend like there are no fluff games but they're for after we finish working on say, DD's addition and subtraction apps or long car rides.

We spent the summer teaching my daughter who is in K to read. She was doing ok with the Bob books, but she really started to get it after I found her a few good phonics apps.

Can you list some of them??

Neither. Library card.