[gme]

Biggest cause of arguments in our house by miles. Avoided handheld devices until eldest was 10. Regret relenting and giving them iPod touches, I naively wasn't aware of there game playing abilities or would not have bought them.
Up until then they had to use the main house computer in my office or my laptop which was really easy to control. They were also allowed a wii but its put back in its box from Easter to October.
All this is based on my own personal dislike of video games which I see as a total waste of time. The educational value per ported by the manufactures is only to appease parental guilt. The kids will start off doing the spelling/ adding up/ painting / learning Cantonese games but ultimately end up blowing things up and shooting things type games, my two did anyway.

Might sound a bit Luddite but I think I am liberal, I have friends who have not told there kidswhat the black box in the corner of the living room is yet.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks guys, interesting replies there.
Gav, I agree with what you're saying - and if you're a Luddite then I'm in still the stone age ..but doubt I'll have the casting vote in our house.  As we have a girl there might be less blowing things up and more dressing Tinkerbell in luminous pink but I too suspect the educational claims are intended more for the parents  than the kids.

[SA Chris]

Depends how you use it though. For example you could argue that letting them play on a tablet is slightly more educational than watch a DVD on a long car journey for example, if you have suitable games available; our ones favourites are the jigsaw puzzles and one where you build traintracks. It also beats hearing the peppa pig theme tune every 10 mins when a new episode starts!

[gme]

I spy only on our journeys or audio entertainment.
iPods not allowed to leave the hoose   

[erm, sam]

My groms at 5 and 7 have no personel electronic devices. They are allowed to have a go on my lap top now and again but this is for CBeebies type games or drawing programs. We have no electronic stimulation on long journeys.
For me a key thing is learning to read. Given that it is quite hard and needs quite a lot of effort to get the rewards of being lost in the world of the book, it seems a big ask to get a kid to leave the immersive world of electronic gaming etc in order to put the work in to access the immersive world of the book. 
Once they can read well they don't really need games to keep them busy as they can read and the less addictive nature of even the best book vs the best video game means there is more room in their brains for other activities/interests.  Who is going to be bothered to learn to knit (for example) when far greater rewards are available on a screen?

My kids also never watch TV in the mornings as I just think it anaethatises them to the possibilities of the day. Sorry, I am the walking definition of middle class poncey parent.

[andy_e]

I bet you dress them in those drop-crotch jeans too 

[SA Chris]

I was never allowed to read books on car journeys as it made me vom. Hopefully car sickness isn't hereditary.

[gme]

No morning TV or ipods for my two either on school days, we do relent at weekends though.

Each to there own though, and i try not to get preachy. It might be that the ones who watch TV and play games from the day they can walk may have the last laugh whilst out IT illiterate offspring get left behind by the onslaught of technology.

My decision really is based on the fact that i cant stand video games and can see how they, and the TV, can suck you in and take up all of your time.

Saying that i am not a big reader either, i prefer to go do something even if that's mowing the lawn.

[andy_e]

But if you plonk your kids in front of the TV it allows you to leave them there and go to the pub/bookies/crack den whilst they stare at the screen blankly whilst supping on their white lightning and lighting up another benson and hedges!

[SA Chris]

Don't be daft andi.

White lightning is not suitable for young children.










They prefer Blue WKD.

[Oldmanmatt]

But if you plonk your kids in front of the TV it allows you to leave them there and go to the pub/bookies/crack den whilst they stare at the screen blankly whilst supping on their white lightning and lighting up another benson and hedges!

There are days when...

Nah, I wouldn't.




Much.

[Jaspersharpe]

As with everything, moderation is key and that's the problem with allowing them their own handheld device when they're young. Much easier to regulate use when it's your phone / computer they are playing on. We've been lucky to never even have to deal with the question of electronics in the car as he's always been a really good traveller and is now obsessed with these:

[robertostallioni]

colons?

[lagerstarfish]

No, Stallion. That's a typo

He meant these ~

[robertostallioni]

ahhhhhh. snakes.

[SA Chris]

I think he means the International Red Cross.

[Jaspersharpe]

Oh didn't that work? I Spy Cars and I Spy On A Car Journey.

Best things ever for keeping a sprog happy while travelling.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks for all the replies, it's interesting to read what others think.

As with everything, moderation is key and that's the problem with allowing them their own handheld device when they're young.

I agree with this.

My decision really is based on the fact that i cant stand video games and can see how they, and the TV, can suck you in and take up all of your time.

And this.

FWIW Morning TV is in, because dad needs caffeine and something to focus on whilst getting head together - Peppa Pig only kicks in for a fixed amount of time after nursery. My big concern is that technology will eat into time that should be spent actually using her brain, particularly reading. I know there are 'educational apps' but I happen to think that in practice these are to child development what Wii is to training for the marathon.

[SA Chris]

Oh didn't that work? I Spy Cars and I Spy On A Car Journey.

Best things ever for keeping a sprog happy while travelling.

You actually buy I Spy Games? Didn't happen in my day, you just made it up as you went.

I'm a bit concerned about technology eating into development, but the current appetite for Thomas and Friends Books (50 books; 50 variations on a single tedious storyline) and jigsaws shows no letting up.

[lagerstarfish]

the 50 books thing makes me think of Sharpe Jr and his full knowledge of all the Mr Men books - to the extent that he could tell you which book/MrMan corresponded to which number; at some ridiculously young age

that I Spy Cars book is pretty good - Sharpe Jr and I had a whole car journey together talking about cars and engines and stuff. The number of points you get for each spot seemed to particularly appeal to the genius child. The shout of triumph when we ticked a 2CV was most heartening.

[Jaspersharpe]

It's class. He's got the certificate for getting 1000 points on the car one. As you say, they're full of facts too.

The books have been around for years, I had some when I was a kid. It's not the same as playing I-spy which we also do. As I say, without a doubt the best things for car journeys.

The Mr Men memory thing still amazes me.....

[SA Chris]

Kyle got the mr men box set for xmas (50 now!) and has read nothing else since.

[Oldmanmatt]

Number one daughter has the 20 book set of "Horrible Histories" ...
Brilliant.


Daddy kinda likes them too...

[Dr T]

Number one daughter has the 20 book set of "Horrible Histories" ...
Brilliant.


Daddy kinda likes them too...

Less educational but Jr T has both The Batman and Green Lantern animated series - Daddy T rather likes them too....

[SamT]

Son No1 has a load of the TinTin stories and is busy demolishing them of an evening.

Brilliant

Daddy T kinda likes them too!

(can you see a trend developing here).