Latest trend in modern parenting: letting the ipad or iphone raise your infant

[JHB4UK]

“That’s huge,” said Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, who was not involved in the survey, which was published in the journal Pediatrics. “If children are sitting by themselves glued to digital candy, we simply don’t know what the consequences are for their early social development.”

god do I find most humans in this country reproducing to be utterly repugnant. too lazy to raise, interact, play & teach toddlers so they stick a device in their tiny hands for them to slam their face into.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

What did parents do before the 2000's? Do that... All of it. They clearly had a working method. It's only in the last 10-15 years it all went to crap.

I have very young little brothers. I either play the drums with them or kick the ball outside with them. They maybe get iPad or a cartoon for an hour a day.

 

[Ron Mehico]

How is it any different than a girl that played in her room with her doll house 15 years ago or a kid playing oregon trail on the computer, or kids playing videogames for the last 20 years, or kids that sat in front of the tv watching it all day in the 80s? Don't really understand the surprise, just seems like another toy to me.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

It's not so much the iPad.. it's parents just giving up at alarming levels. The kids rule the roost these days, not the parents.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Its pretty much always been that way. When I grew up in the 80s, in the summer, I would literally play outside all day with my friends with no parental supervision. Actually some days me and my buddies would just play sonic and mario kart all day in his bedroom. Just don't really see the difference. Just people bitching about how "back in my days blah blah blah"

 

[Kaizer Sosay]

I don't see any problem here. In fact, I think we need to find a way to insert tiny ipads directly into the womb so that the fetus can get an early start. Shocked that this isn't already a thing.

 

[kghighroller]

No different than the TV that raised previous generations

 

[LineSkiCat14]

You around young kids lately? It's insanely different. I had a very similar childhood, just in the 90's. Spent my youth outside running around town also, but there were rules. And part of why I was allowed to do that was because a. my parents weren't Hover-Parents and b. it got me out of their hair. Keep in mind also, you're talking about yourself at a time when it appears you were between 8 and 14? I think OP and myself more mean 2 to 10.

 

[Ron Mehico]

I guess I don't really understand what we're talking about then? I was born in '81 so basically I was talking about when I was like 5-10 or whatever. We got a nintendo when I was 6 and remember being on that thing playing mario and zelda and metroid all the time. Got a bike and pretty much riding around with my buddies all day without a parent in sight. Playing mike tyson's punchout with a nintendo power magazine for like 10 hours at a time with my buddies. Guess I'm not understanding how an iPad replacing a nintendo or tv is that much different than what's been going on the last 30 years? I have a 7 year old niece and she seems pretty cool, haven't noticed anything too terribly different with her. She plays on the iPad a lot and doesn't even have a video game system, but otherwise everything else seems normal with her.

 

[TheEgyptianMagician]

nah, it's a problem and a serious one.

there's a point of no return i guess, after which you can't even understand there is a problem.

 

[DSmith21]

What did parents do before the 2000's? Do that... All of it. They clearly had a working method. It's only in the last 10-15 years it all went to crap.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Yeah, I agreed with you on that. Ipad is by and large another toy. The bigger issue is a trend in parenting. The entitled, let the kids call the shots, the "not my sons fault" type.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

You around young kids lately? It's insanely different. I had a very similar childhood, just in the 90's. Spent my youth outside running around town also, but there were rules. And part of why I was allowed to do that was because a. my parents weren't Hover-Parents and b. it got me out of their hair. Keep in mind also, you're talking about yourself at a time when it appears you were between 8 and 14? I think OP and myself more mean 2 to 10.

Do you have kids?

 

[JHB4UK]

something i see all the time, little kids these days cannot even sit in a restaurant without having a phone or devise shoved into their hands the second the family is seated. can't tell me that is the way it has always been, an entire generation of zombies used to hours on end of games or videos 2 inches from their eyes, never a moment lacking in entertainment or interaction.

growing up I played nintendo, & watched cartoons....when they were on....which was infrequent with only 4 standard over the air TV channels available. wouldnt be allowed to do that for hours on end, I would be kicked out of the house and have to use my own imagination to play and pass the time with others in the neighborhood.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I have two very young little brothers who I see a few times a week. Plus a plethora of little cousins I watch from time to time. So no. But I see varying degrees of parenting and there are plenty of times I have to do some of my own. It's definitely an awesome learning experience for later in life.

 

[*CatinIL*]

The future...

 

[BigBlueBrock_rivals381185]

How is a four-year-old with an iPad or Leap Frog different than a four-year-old with a set of word blocks or a coloring book? Aside from the fact that the former is capable of learning activities parents and pediatricians couldn't have dreamed of 30 years ago?

This just in: Previous generations of humans critical of latest generations' methods of raising their kids. News at 11.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

Do any of you douches complaining about modern parenting have young kids?

 

[-LEK-]

Do any of you douches complaining about modern parenting have young kids?

It's always those without kids who make the best parents.

 

[Kooky Kats_anon]

The iPad is the speak and say, coloring book, book, radio, television, movie theater, train set, zoo, finger paint set - all in one convenient and non-messy package...

If your 2 year-old is downloading porn, well then perhaps a little more parental guidance is needed.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

1) There were really crappy parents 30 years ago when you were a kid, you just probably didn't notice
2) The really crappy parents stand out. For example, if you are at a restaurant you likely won't notice any kids unless they're doing something that pisses you off. So it skews your view.
3) When kids get tired or bored they act like dbags at restaurants. That iPhone is there to make sure they don't interrupt your dinner.
4) You didn't play outside bc your parents made you. You did because it was your best option. As tech improves, playing outside looks less and less attractive. This makes it harder on parents to ensure their kids are getting exercise.

 

[BigBlueBrock_rivals381185]

1) There were really crappy parents 30 years ago when you were a kid, you just probably didn't notice

Nah man. Lazy parenting is obviously a 21st century invention enabled by technology. Damn you, Steve Jobs!

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Where do you think the "trophies for everyone" generation is coming from?

If you think parenting is the same in the 2010's as it was in the 60's.. Ha, I don't know then.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Where do you think the "trophies for everyone" generation is coming from?

If you think parenting is the same in the 2010's as it was in the 60's.. Ha, I don't know then.

What in the hell do you know about parenting in the 60's, 30 years before you were born. WTF. Are you secretly a 90 year old? You sound like it with the way you are talking. My parents were raised in the 60's - my mom barely ever saw my grandfather who was working in a "mad men" type set-up and was basically raised exclusively by my not well educated and overwhelmed grandmother and both my grandparents were completely miserable but couldn't get a divorce because of society and fought all the time. But, you know, it was a long time ago. And everything that is a long time ago is better than what it is now!!!

 

[krazykats]

There is more issues than than just an iPad. Don't bring up yesteryear when you were allowed to spank your children to set them straight.

My kids have iPads and a Wii and still play outside. When I was a kid I played Nintendo day and night and still played outside so it can be done.

It's only a problem when parents allow control to be taken away by the children. For example if every time your child acts up and your go to is "here play on this because I can't handle you" then yes your child will be trained to act out to get what he wants. When our kids act up they maybe get the iPad tomorrow, maybe, so please go ahead and keep acting up I dare you!

The problem isn't the iPad it's the weak *** parents that always got their way and don't know any better.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I do have Uncles, Aunts, my own parents, etc for information. It's in articles, books. Besides, despite your upbringing, you seem to have turned out ok. Maybe? I don't know.

And again... Where do you think this trophy generation is coming from. Parenting from 60's or any era isn't without flaws. But it didn't give entitlements out like candy. You don't see 8 adults sitting in a room while the kid HAS to watch Baby Einsteins. Everyone here seems to have turned out alright.

Let me ask this, because I feel like I'm getting this answer.. do people here really think parenting is going in the right direction? That they are doing a better job by their kids compared to what their parents did?

 

[neilborders]

The only thing "new" is the technology. It's always been like this: PC's, gaming consoles, television.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

I do have Uncles, Aunts, my own parents, etc for information. It's in articles, books. Besides, despite your upbringing, you seem to have turned out ok. Maybe? I don't know.

And again... Where do you think this trophy generation is coming from. Parenting from 60's or any era isn't without flaws. But it didn't give entitlements out like candy. You don't see 8 adults sitting in a room while the kid HAS to watch Baby Einsteins. Everyone here seems to have turned out alright.

Let me ask this, because I feel like I'm getting this answer.. do people here really think parenting is going in the right direction? That they are doing a better job by their kids compared to what their parents did?

Again, do you even have kids?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I've answered that question. I'm not sure if you're having trouble reading or this is some snide remark that anyone who doesn't have kids can't have an opinion on parenting. I've done my own minute parenting, I've been parented. Save the "You don't have kids, you can't have an opinion" bit.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

It's a snide remark. Until you actually have kids and are around school events and that sort of thing, it's hard to really assess parenting IMO. And perhaps my view is a little warped. My kids go to a good public school with responsible parents. Perhaps I don't see the other side.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I'm not going to say I know more than you on the subject, obviously not. But I think I can have an educated opinion of what I see going on.

There's a reason the above cartoon was one of the most shared over the last few years. Sounds like you're not subscribing to the problem above, and that's good (and I'm sure not easy), but you can't tell me you don't know dozens of parents like that..

 

[-LEK-]

A cartoon to present your facts. Solid.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

I have had to catch my wife from flipping out whenever my daughter gets her feelings hurt at school. I think as long as one parent "gets it", he or she can control the other. I don't think anybody was ever mean to my wife when she was a kid, so she doesn't seem to understand that these things happen and are normal.

And that reminds me, women are 99% of the time the better parent, but they are also the ones behind the "everybody gets a trophy" movement.

Lastly, regarding your cartoon, I feel like that is the school's fault, not the parents. From an outsider's view, I feel like the school needs to train teachers on how to handle difficult parents.

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

The future...

The Present day.

 

[We-Todd-Did]

I can recall old people bitching about kids/parenting at every point in my own life. This has happened all through history. At one point I'm sure there were old farts griping about kids spending all day staring at those new-fangled papyrus scrolls. Old people gripe about kids using phones and tablets but they watch tv more than any demographic.

 

[buster3.0]

My wife said her Dad used to have her wait in the car while he knocked down a few at his favorite bar. She would have to wait in the car for up to 2 hours at times and this while she was 4-9 years old. They did this multiple times a week for years. And she didn't even have a damn ipad or anything.

 

[buster3.0]

I can recall old people bitching about kids/parenting at every point in my own life. This has happened all through history. At one point I'm sure there were old farts griping about kids spending all day staring at those new-fangled papyrus scrolls. Old people gripe about kids using phones and tablets but they watch tv more than any demographic.

True. All my Mom does is watch TV and I swear she is hooked on every damn reality show known to Man.

 

[JumperJack]

It's true parents are less demanding of children. I don't see how any reasonable observation of society could come away differently. But it's not the fault of iPads, or any other distractions. It's a matter of expectations. Not too much for kids to have to do in the cul de sac compared to the farm 100 years ago.

 

[JHB4UK]

Oh it absolutely is not the fault of ipads, or of the kids. Kids are kids no matter when they are born. The difference is the quality of parenting, and from my observation these days it pretty much sucks. not the kids fault they are saddled with awful moms & dads (if they are lucky enough to even have both).

I've got 3 kids 9 & under, so no I'm not some childless blissfully ignorant observer on the sideline throwing rocks at those who are in the arena

 

[jwheat]

lol the OP trying to compare parenting to seeing his little brothers a few times a week.