Children and iPads

A huge debate always occurs around the topic of children and technology. Young children with phones and access to the internet freely is wrong, and I will always stick to my guns as I’ve worked in the online industry for 10-years and have seen some things. But I’m not writing about kids with phones, I’m writing about kids with the iPad as an entertainment tool.

Emily doesn’t own an iPad nor will she for quite some time but when we’re out, the iPad comes with us. Wherever we go, I always have my iPad on me. This is for 2 reasons, 1, for work -just in case a client of mine needs something done and I can’t do it on my phone- and 2, for Emily – if she’s needs a dose of CBeebies. When we’re out, wherever we are, somethings the iPad is a lifesaver. Anyone with children. Whatever their ages will know trying to keep your children still or quiet, is sometimes really impossible. She’s too young to use the CBeebies app on the iPad so learning apps on the iPad are a little pointless for the time being, but useful in the future, but with her various movies, programs and access to the BBC iPlayer children’s app, she has everything she needs to entertain her when needed. It’s not a cop out, it’s useful and ridiculously helpful when sometimes she wants to make a break for it.

I am a firm believer than children shouldn’t be all about technology and little of anything else, they should want to go outside and play. When I was a kid I didn’t have a game boy or a PlayStation. Our entertainment was always arts and crafts, swimming, park or playing with friends in the field out back. In a sense, it was the best part of childhood and I loved hanging out with my friends, even if I did moan to my mum it wasn’t fair that so and so had SEGA and we didn’t. Fast forward all these years, being a parent to Emily, now with the weather changing, summer fast approaching, getting outside into the fresh air, enjoying the surroundings, exercising and having fun, should be a huge part of her life, especially taking advantage of it down by the seaside.

As Emily gets older, hopefully she’ll take full advantage of what’s on offer here in Ramsgate and in surrounding areas of Kent. It’s a beautiful place with so much to do and even with the use of mobile phones, laptops and iPads, she won’t be glued to one like most kids, I hope.