Should people shield their children from using iPhones, iPads, basically anything that involves a touch screen? What would this lead to? How would the parents that allow their kids to use the family tablets/gadgets whatever you call them, react? Dun dun...I don't have any children so I couldn't really give my own expert opinion on what 'I think is best for my child' but I do have an opinion.
When I was really young I used to watch my favorite kids shows on the television (albeit they don't exist anymore) and this was a way my parents could keep my busy. Taking care of a little one is a very time consuming task, I experienced this when I was left to take care of my baby cousin, Vladimir. Pulling at my t-shirt, asking countless questions, claiming he was hungry every 5 minutes and then deciding to go on a rampage around the house for absolutely no reason. But then I decided to pull out my iPad, play a few games and then what happened? Vladimir stopped running around the house, came over to me, and asked, "what's that?" with this look of deep intrigue/amazement in his eyes. And what did I do? I gave him the iPad, and taught him how to use it (even though Vladik as I like to call him, is quite the smart little boy and pretty much figured it out for himself).
10 minutes later, I waited for the call of my name, for the demand of something or someone, for a complaint, a question, a random noise - but nothing. I walked over to the bedroom to find Vladik sitting there playing Plants v. Zombies. Is this for real?
This is where I understand the argument for when parents say, "it keeps the children busy," but when I go into restaurants, cafés, or other public domains and see no interaction b/w the kid and the outside world, that is when I begin to question things.
Maybe I should buy Vladik this for his next birthday? Haha, only joking...
This little chair/portable iPad set is actually called an iPotty. Ridiculous name I know. This caused controversy when it was released, but it is still on the market, which means that some people are actually buying it...
Small inventions like these just simply continue to astound me - was I hiding in a hole in the ground when the world of baby technology burst onto the scene? One minute they're not using our phones + iPods, and the next they all are!
I know that my kids have a technology-filled life ahead of them, and tech will continue to have a plethora of benefits. But for young kids, my hope is that they'll benefit from simple pleasures in the real world first.
That is what Jeana Lee Tahnk said when she expressed her opinion about this whole fiasco. What is your opinion? Is it good? Bad? No opinion? Or developing one? Think about it.
http://www.rossdelantar.com/the-danger-with-kids-and-micro-transactions/
http://mashable.com/2014/03/01/baby-tech-protection/
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