Choosing a tablet for 7 yr old

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nakedmolerat

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# 1380056 4-Sep-2015 23:40

Jase2985:
Geektastic: No kids but if I did I'm not sure I'd want them having anything computer related until they were about 13. What's wrong with books?!

and have them grow up so far behind the 8 ball when it comes to technology?

my 3 year olds daycare use tablets and laptops for education videos and activities. my son know how to use the buttons on the IPad and can use the number pad.

look at jobs these days you need to have computer skills, the sooner you start the better you will be, generally speaking

As someone who grow up with computers, very much connected, I actually have opposite opinions.

Using tablet is not so much of a 'skill' - in fact there are studies out there showing repetitively navigating the tablet will delay brain development/decrease the ability to problem solve. In addition the kids will learn passive social interaction rather than active interaction.

We also see more and more under 6 years old with RSI. Some kids also start bed-wetting from tablet use (yes this is true and i am not exaggerating).

We chose books - mini playground - chalk and board for them to draw - sandpit.

Heck, I even cut down on my gadget usage this days - we have rule not to use our smartphone in front of the kids. It's too often I see kids being ignored while parents were busy checking their phone at the playground. It gives them the wrong message.

lNomNoml

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# 1380057 4-Sep-2015 23:46

Geektastic: No kids but if I did I'm not sure I'd want them having anything computer related until they were about 13. What's wrong with books?!

Yeah agreed, couldn't imagine getting a kid a tablet until they were at least 13, it just seems like bad parenting otherwise.

Jase2985

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# 1380074 5-Sep-2015 07:22

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lNomNoml:
Geektastic: No kids but if I did I'm not sure I'd want them having anything computer related until they were about 13. What's wrong with books?!

Yeah agreed, couldn't imagine getting a kid a tablet until they were at least 13, it just seems like bad parenting otherwise.

so your saying im a bad parent because my son has a tablet? that it a very broad statement and its highly unfair and frankly im offended by it. You dont know me, you dont know my son, you have 0 clues if im a bad parent or not, so please dont throw around hurtful comments like that unless you know it to be true.

My niece is 10 and at intermediate and they are encouraged to have a tablet/chromebook for school, i know a few other schools in that position and having some skills prior to that is going to be beneficial. I have an old laptop here that my son will get to use in a few years when he knows his numbers and letters a little bit better to play other educational games etc.

my son gets an hour most days, and plays educational games, which involve number/letter recognition, colours and all form of things.

he also plays with his toys, and has about 40+ books we read to him and he "reads" himself. We also have 10+ puzzles he does along with memory cards, recognition cards and other form or learning cards.

so im a bad parent for letting my son use a tablet at 3, please

keep your sweeping hurtful statements off here.

Lias

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# 1380085 5-Sep-2015 08:09

My kids got their first tablets at ages 3 and 4. They learned to use tablets at Kindy and then I got them ones for home.

I only got them cheap android tablets at HN/NL xmas sales, but they are fine for most games and youtube which is what they primarily do on them. They also have access to a desktop computer and laptop to use as well, which are mostly used for youtube too.

They are true digital natives and I have no problem with it.

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scuwp

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# 1380086 5-Sep-2015 08:17

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lNomNoml:
Geektastic: No kids but if I did I'm not sure I'd want them having anything computer related until they were about 13. What's wrong with books?!

Yeah agreed, couldn't imagine getting a kid a tablet until they were at least 13, it just seems like bad parenting otherwise.

Wow. I hope that was a slip of the tongue (or fingers). What a condescending uninformed irrational load of generalized claptrap otherwise. Bad parenting?....give me a break.

Technology is the future. The sooner kids learn to use these tools, and equally important learn to manage and balance their reasonable and effective use of technology and not be consumed by it the better.

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xpd

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# 1380087 5-Sep-2015 08:24

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Better keep the kids off the computers too....... they might learn to use them.

But yeah, my kids have both had access to PC's and tablets from a young age, its entertainment along with being a learning tool for them - came home one day to find the eldest (she was 6 at the time) had been on Wikipedia and researched a whole bunch of info on a subject mentioned at school, and was rattling off info to me, writing it down, drawing pictures etc and took it all to school the next day. If thats a bad thing then crap, I'm expecting CYFS to kick my door down any second now.

Just keep things in moderation, I have timers set for the kids, they only get a couple hours a day to do what they want on the tablet/PC, after that they have to find alternative means of entertainment/research.

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michael001

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# 1380090 5-Sep-2015 08:30

Jase2985:
lNomNoml:
Geektastic: No kids but if I did I'm not sure I'd want them having anything computer related until they were about 13. What's wrong with books?!

Yeah agreed, couldn't imagine getting a kid a tablet until they were at least 13, it just seems like bad parenting otherwise.

so your saying im a bad parent because my son has a tablet? that it a very broad statement and its highly unfair and frankly im offended by it. You dont know me, you dont know my son, you have 0 clues if im a bad parent or not, so please dont throw around hurtful comments like that unless you know it to be true.

My niece is 10 and at intermediate and they are encouraged to have a tablet/chromebook for school, i know a few other schools in that position and having some skills prior to that is going to be beneficial. I have an old laptop here that my son will get to use in a few years when he knows his numbers and letters a little bit better to play other educational games etc.

my son gets an hour most days, and plays educational games, which involve number/letter recognition, colours and all form of things.

he also plays with his toys, and has about 40+ books we read to him and he "reads" himself. We also have 10+ puzzles he does along with memory cards, recognition cards and other form or learning cards.

so im a bad parent for letting my son use a tablet at 3, please

keep your sweeping hurtful statements off here.

He doesn't know you, nor your son and didn't have any idea about you at all. But it seems you're all hurt and offended and now we all know about your life and parenting skills.

I think rather than him keeping his opinions out of this forum, might I suggest you not be a big cry baby and take everything personally?

Jase2985

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# 1380104 5-Sep-2015 09:04

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cry baby? GTFO, its passion for my family and my son, dont confuse the two.

you insinuate im a bad parent and im not allowed to be hurt about it?? my child is my life and the thought of someone who doesn't know me insinuating im a bad parent because they wouldnt give their kids technology.

dont judge people when you dont know them or their situation.

nakedmolerat

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# 1380132 5-Sep-2015 09:37

Jase2985: cry baby? GTFO, its passion for my family and my son, dont confuse the two.

you insinuate im a bad parent and im not allowed to be hurt about it?? my child is my life and the thought of someone who doesn't know me insinuating im a bad parent because they wouldnt give their kids technology.

dont judge people when you dont know them or their situation.

To be fair, his comment was not directed at anyone in particular. To me, he was just stating his opinion/belief.

Anyway, maybe a moderator should step in. We digress a lot already.

edit: i am referring to lNomNoml comment....

Jase2985

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# 1380137 5-Sep-2015 09:55

back on topic maybe look at the schools you want your children to go to and see what devices they are recommending students use. if the school recommends chrome books maybe get one of those so you dont end up having to get another device in a few years.

new android devices are cheaper than their apple equivalents, and both offer similar levels of usability. comes down to personal preference.

android is a little more user friendly when it comes to putting restrictions on things though.

jmh

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# 1380214 5-Sep-2015 12:14

I think I'd be trying to hold back children's use of wifi connected products until the safety angle was sorted out. All the testing done so far is on adult males. I figure, why expose children to high levels of RF if you don't have to. We use to take kids to get their feet x-rays for shoe fitting. Now we know better. I'm a fan of the precautionary principle.

Wade

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# 1380282 5-Sep-2015 15:37

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My 9yo has an ipad and unrestricted access to the internet, rather than wrapping her in cotton wool and protecting her from seeing the big bad world we educate her on being safe and cautious online, I don't fence my kids in, i teach them where the boundary is and touchwood so far so good, she has proven to be astute and make smart decisions online

She researches virtually everything from school work to youtube tutorials to improve her skills and techniques improving her sports and interests. She has recently taken a real interest in making her own online tutorials and armed with a few apps is knocking together some rather amazing video productions compelte with credits, opening and closing sequences, special effects, background music and sound effets etc it is limitless and self taught. More importantly she is learning skills that as a parent I might not even be able to teach her, I am yet to hear a constructive arguement agaisnt kids and technology so ignore ignorants would be my advice :P

From my experiences, kids and ipads work a lot better than Android/windows and kids so i would be looking at buying ipads for that age group

lNomNoml

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# 1380347 5-Sep-2015 17:30

Wow never knew people could take things so seriously on the internet, this is a forum it is my opinion you're not supposed to take it as if I was saying it to your face, come now people seriously..gosh.

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