Over the last few weeks the 8 month old has been taking a noticeable interest in iPhones and iPads.
The toddler is allowed to play some games on our iPad and watch YouTube for about 30 minutes a day. He’s also allowed it on long car journeys.
I’m not sure how but the 8 month old and toddler have started to fight over the iPad! Sometimes I’m lucky and can placate one with an iPhone. Last night we had the discussion about buying another iPad so the kids don’t fight over it. There must be a serious problem with my parenting if I’d rather throw money at the problem rather than nip it in the bud. However I have memories of me and my older sibling fighting like cat and dog until the day she left home. We fought over who got to pick what we watched on tv after school, whose turn it was to wash or dry after dinner, why she borrowed my clothes without asking, all normal sibling stuff.
Life for my children already seems so different to mine but similar too. I want them to be up to date with the digital world but not lose sight of childhood too quickly. I’m not sure that buying an 8 month old an iPad will help the sibling relationship or teach them anything, it will definitely help my sanity as I take it and sneak off for a cup of tea and a quick read of twitter.
Great to hear what you feel on this one – and shame on anyone who challenges your thinking.
Sanity is priceless and if you wanna buy it you do so.
And her drawing looks fab in that pic.
I am not an Ipad owner (only have the MacBook I am on now) but I DID buy Aaron an Innotab, despite it being for 4 year olds and him being only 2 and it was worth every penny – it kept him quiet for some of the flight to Ireland AND a few times when he had cabin fever waiting for us to go out some days, it was a saviour in Ireland. I could put on makeup and Mum could finish her cup of tea (or have a fag) while the toddler was occupied. Given the LEAPS and BOUNDS of energy he has, those 5-10 mins of him time and in turn me-time really are priceless.
Liska xx