Should Your Kid Have a Tablet?

I can’t give you a solid answer to that question, but I can share with you what I learned and what I wish I’d have done differently.

My girls didn’t have tablets when they were tiny. That was back before it became so common for every child to have an iPad. What they did have was TV, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS. I can look around now and notice how some kids who’ve spent too much time on screens have a hard time being entertained otherwise, but at the time, I didn’t have a clue that it could become a problem. I grew up with unlimited access to TV and the Super Nintendo. It wasn’t a problem for me. I didn’t have to be forced away from electronics to find other activities. It wasn’t that big of a problem for my girls either. I think the reason for this is that they had a limited number of games to play. They eventually got bored and searched for other entertainment. It was the same story with the TV. We had Dish Network so there was a limited number of channels that aired cartoons.

Now when I compare that to my son… things were so different. He’s four years younger than our middle, and six years younger than our oldest. There was a big change in the world within that four years. Suddenly everyone had a smart phone and every child had an iPad. We also switched to Netflix and Hulu from Dish. Our son spent his early developmental years with hundreds of movies and shows at his fingertips. He knew how to use the TV remote by two years old. he couldn’t read, but he knew how to navigate between pictures.

He also had a tablet in those early years. I had installed an app so that I could control which apps he had access to. I downloaded a lot of games to help him prepare for school, too. But, of course, he didn’t want to play those games. He had dozens of others he’d rather play.

I wish I’d have set screen limits from the gate.

Rather than forcing him to sit with me and play the games I wanted him to play, I wish I’d have kept the tablet up and only allowed him to play those games at allotted times, and none of the other games at all. This way, playing the beneficial games would have been a treat, not something keeping him from games that he preferred.

I would have only let him use one screen at a time.

It was a normal thing for him to be playing on his tablet AND watching TV. One screen is bad enough, but multiple screens is so over-stimulating. Our son was diagnosed early with ADHD. I can’t say that I could have done anything to prevent that, but there is a lot of research being done to determine if screens can contribute to ADHD and other developmental issues. I’ve heard of several moms that claim their baby wasn’t talking or even trying to talk until they stopped letting them watch Cocomelon. I encourage you to look into the tactics that show is using to hold the attention of children. You need to realize that everything you see on a screen is coming to you from someone who is trying to make money off your attention. They aim to do whatever it takes to keep your focus. That goes for your child, too.

Set rules on where screens are permitted.

I heard someone suggest once that you should never allow kids to use screens in their bedroom. I wish this was a rule we had instituted. If I had it to do over, my girls would never have been permitted to use devices outside of common family areas. You may wonder why that’s a big deal. I’ll list you some reasons.

1. Even apps and games that you think are safe may not be. I read about a little girl a few years ago that was using an app to take photos and add filters. Her parents had no idea the app was posting the photos publicly until she told them someone asked her to take a photo of herself with no shirt.
2. Bullies aren’t just at school anymore. Kids used to be able to come home and detach from what happened at school. Home was a safe place. Now, if your child is connected to the outside world, even if they don’t have social media, they can’t get away from the drama. Other kids can text them or even email them on school accounts. If your child is hidden away with their device in their room, there could be so much going on that you aren’t even aware of.
3. It divides families. Each child alone in their room with a device while Mom is in the bathtub, scrolling through Facebook, and Dad is lounging on the couch, watching TV… If you set designated areas, (even times, too,) at least your family will be together while spending time on their devices.

Should your child have a tablet? As I stated in the beginning, I can’t answer that question for you. But I pray that God gives you wisdom and discernment as you make that decision and set rules for your child regarding devices and screen time.