How do you feel about iPhone /iPad/ apps ?

[laurack]

I was bored and went to selfies blog and she had a large post about the best apps for toddlers/ what Lexi loves. I couldn't really read it because her blog loads soooo slowly for me I just got annoyed.

my first thought was what? No screen time til 2 but giving her an iPhone is fine and dandy?

but then I was thinking... Apps for toddlers on the iPhone and iPad are obviously different to tv as they are interactive. Matilda hasn't ever played a game on it or anything, we don't have apps for her and I don't think she'd "get it" yet but I am curious how others think or whether your kids already play apps/understand them? Do you consider iPhone use different to tv screen time?

[vthokie]

I sort of consider them the same thing, but I blew the no screen time till 2 thing when I needed to cook dinner without her underfoot. She gets an episode of bubble guppies every once in a while. I have a few animal apps on my phone for when we are at the Dr or waiting somewhere like that. I just don't want her thinking that my phone is hers to play with whenever. We don't have an iPad or anything else, so I've sort of stayed away from fun apps so far. I may consider a toddler iPad sort of device in the future. Leappad or something of the sort.

[TrudyCampbell]

I think they're a little better than TV, but I'm not really anti-TV either.

[TrudyCampbell]

Oh and she understands the simple apps. She knows how to turn the pages in e-books and she knows that if she points to things something happens etc

[AndyCohen]

I don't let A play with the iPad, but she doesn't show much interest in it or tv. Most of my feelings on it have to do with my feelings that smartphones are the downfall of society (as I type this on my phone). I'm already too far gone, but there is hope for the new generation!

[carawestt]

Lincoln's never played an app and he only watches 1 show a day. I kinda see them as being the same thing though, since they're still watching a screen.

[unclejesse]

A has 2 apps on the kindle. A Daniel Tiger app and an Elmo app. We watch Big Block singsong on YouTube and PBS shows on Netflix. It keeps him calm when he's going nutso. I used to side eye parents who resorted to it, now I'm one of them. We restrict it a lot though.

[Deleted]

My only objection to apps is that I don't want him more obsessed with my phone than he already is.

I dot think they are necessarily better or worse than tv. I hope to hold firm on keeping his use of iPhone/iPad/computer stuff to a minimum because I think it is more addictive and less imaginative than tv.

But we play peekaboo barn at the doctors.

[Dorothy Zbornak]

I'll be honest; the idea of apps especially for babies our babies' age makes me uncomfortable.

[Deleted]

Laney plays with it occasionally. In fact I recommended an app the other day! We also use baby Einstein on the iPad for long car trips.

She loooooves the animal noises app and I think that's why she knows 10+ animal noises.

[laurack]

IS there hope for the new generation though? This is the generation that will grow up with technology. They will never know a life without smart phones, tablets and high speed Internet. It kinda freaks me out! I really think there is no escaping it!!

I guess what freaks me out about it the most is how "unknown" it is. Like we know tvs been around, we all grew up glued to the damn thing and turned out fine or fine-ish. But what of this new generation of screen time? How will this influence their growing brains?

[TrudyCampbell]

Also, the occasional use of iPad apps helped Violet to isolate her pointer finger more than anything else we tried. And we tried everything.

[laurack]

I'm going to need something come april because limiting screen time is all good when you only have one child, what am I supposed to do with her while the newb is attached to my boob for 45 minutes out of each hour?! Aaahhhh.

There will be a lot of apps downloaded then. Maybe I will just get her her own iPad lol

[TrudyCampbell]

Sept 2, 2013 13:23:26 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

I'll be honest; the idea of apps especially for babies our babies' age makes me uncomfortable.

Why? 

I'm not disagreeing, just curious as to why you feel strongly about it. 

[thedahliharpa]

We just recently got a app specifically for H. My phone and my IPad are MINE, they take over everything else so I'm holding out on those, lol. It seemed like over kill today when a family of 4 with kids about 3 and 5 had the iPad set up on a patio table outside of Starbucks....but I don't know their lyfe blah blah blah.

[bigapple]

I'm more comfortable with apps than TV because they're at least a little interactive. I have a few on my phone and iPad for C, but he only gets them as a last resort when we're driving or something else he hates. I have one drawing one and a couple Fisher Price ones that sing and count.

I'm still sticking to the no TV rule. He watched a few minutes of Yo Gabba Gabba on a flight in March, but I don't think he's watched since.

[Beener]

I think everything in moderation is fine. We have the Fisher Price Apptivity Storybook apps which have interactive nursery rhymes and the talking ABC app that ladybug recommended recently. She uses them a couple times a week for a few minutes each time.

But, I also let her watch some tv shows. Truth be told, I'm not sure if she likes Jessie on Disney or if I keep it on because I like it so much!

[jaime183]

We don't restrict screen time.
I don't like him using my phone though because its mine and we always have it and I don't want him thinking its always available
He watches shows on the iPad he's not too into apps yet

[devonpow]

We only let E use the iPad on airplanes, but more because I don't want him thinking my iPad or phone is his toy. We also don't put on any shows specifically for him to watch, but he is exposed to a lot of TV, including H's shows (E hears the Phinnaes and Ferb theme dong and gets excited , ugh. No age appropriate shows for him! Lol)

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Sept 2, 2013 13:29:42 GMT -5 TrudyCampbell said:

Sept 2, 2013 13:23:26 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

I'll be honest; the idea of apps especially for babies our babies' age makes me uncomfortable.

Why? 

I'm not disagreeing, just curious as to why you feel strongly about it. 

I feel like it could be bad for attention spans; this is my opinion, not based on anything science-y. I also feel like our society is too obsessed with apps and the internet, etc. I don't want my kids to get into stuff like that for a while. I'd rather read to them or draw or play with toys to keep them occupied. It's just my gut feeling; the idea of Butterbaby specifically playing with an app just isn't my thing.

[devonpow]

Sept 2, 2013 13:28:28 GMT -5 laurack said:

I'm going to need something come april because limiting screen time is all good when you only have one child, what am I supposed to do with her while the newb is attached to my boob for 45 minutes out of each hour?! Aaahhhh.

There will be a lot of apps downloaded then. Maybe I will just get her her own iPad lol

She will be 2 (almost)! It's free reign then, right?

[kandrze1]

I limit it, but that's more because she used to get super crazy over my phone and I didn't like that. I let her use my phone if I'm trying to keep her wake by myself in the car or if we're waiting someplace. I have a few FP story time apps she likes. I don't let her use my iPad because she's too rough with it.
I'm in the everything in moderation thought. She usually gets two hours of TV if she's home (less if it's a daycare day) one before lunch and one before her bath.

[fusion]

We bought Jameson a cheaper android tablet for his 2nd birthday and we'll do the same for Anna. His attention span has actually drastically increased since he got it and he'll actually sit down for longer than 30 seconds and play it. He's been giving up naps too recently, so he'll sit next to me and play it while I read a book while Anna is napping in the afternoons. I would go insane if I had to occupy my kids for every second of every day. Anna doesn't play on tablets though right now, she doesn't really get it yet and Jameson is VERY protective of his. We let that be his one toy he can have ownership over. Everything else needs to be shared, but if he can take care of his computer then he can have it to himself.

[TrudyCampbell]

I'm really surprised that Selfie lets Lexi play with apps

Eta typo

[bigapple]

Sept 2, 2013 14:48:15 GMT -5 TrudyCampbell said:

I'm really surprised that Selfie let's Lexi play with apps

Right??? That was my first thought.

[Regina Philange]

Oh please,

Try entertaining a child in a car for 12 hours without some kind of media. I think it's fine in moderation just like everything else.

[Regina Philange]

Oh please,

Try entertaining a child in a car for 12 hours without some kind of media. I think it's fine in moderation just like everything else.

[Deleted]

Ada can play with apps on my phone if she freaks out when we go out to dinner. But to be honest, if she has the option of doing others things (coloring, running around) she won't touch the apps.

[lolaburns]

He has apps on the iPad - things like puzzles, find the animal, etc. I feel like technology is going to be a big part of his life whether I like it or not. It's interactive, makes him practice his cognitive/motor skills and it sure as hell comes in handy on an airplane. It isn't an every day thing. He knows how to turn my phone on and turn the ipad on to scroll to his apps. It sort of blows my mind. He likes to hold the ipad or the phone and dance with it while it plays music...so cute.

He doesn't really have an interest in TV but I'm not opposed to TV watching in moderation for him.

ETA: I also assume tablets and the like will be a part of his classroom when he starts school. I don't currently promote use of technology for this reason now, since for us thats getting ahead of ourselves. It makes me a little sad because he won't use all books, but happy for his back because he likely won't be carting home his weight in books as I did.

[eav2c]

Everything in moderation. He actually hasn't played with an app yet, I tried once, but The Wiggles do keep him occupied and now since I have very frequent OB appointments that will shortly turn into every other day appointments, I bought an iPad mini so he can be entertained. I wanted one prior to this but after talking to other high risk moms I was swayed. I do not see the big deal, it will be irregular use for a very limited time, and it is not his main source of entertainment or fun regularly outside of appointments. That said, if you don't like it, fine. I think the judgement about it, like all other things people judge with regards to parenting, is stupid.