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Would you buy an iPad for your child?

mydigitalfamily

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Apple's new iPad is yet another marvel of technology and entrepreneurship that will surely have millions of already media-soaked kids clamoring. But will it be good for families and children in the long run? How can parents decide? The answers require new thinking based on what we know about the needs of children and families and about how our brains develop. A new book now resets parental thinking and guides parents to raise children for lifetimes of healthy habits of consuming technology.

:rolleyes:In "Kids, Parents, and Technology: An Instruction Manual for Young Families", child psychiatrist Eitan D. Schwarz MD provides a new guidebook for parents of children ages infancy through eight years. It is the first comprehensive child- and family-centered system offering step-by-step instructions on how to turn digital media into powerful parenting tools that enrich family life and child development.

Dr. Schwarz states, "I personally love good technology and will probably get an iPad or something like it for myself. But before bringing a new gadget home, every parent must think through its impact on the kids and family life. Studies show that the more the media, the poorer the grades and the lesser imaginative play and family interactions."

"I am also concerned that a parent distracted by media might be damaging formation of youngsters' vital brain circuits -- I have seen mothers on their cell phones or texting while breast-feeding. Can these interruptions contribute to later brain-based problems, including the recent rise in autism? There can be great benefits to technology, but there are alarming trends and important unanswered questions. That’s why I wrote the book."

“The instructions we receive with digital devices don't teach the most important things -- how to use the new gadgets to fully benefit youngsters and family lives," says Dr. Schwarz.. "My work with parents and families shows me the problems technology is creating for them and helps me identify the type of information they need to make certain that these devices contribute to family life in a positive way.”

Media use by kids has grown helter-skelter in response to an explosive marketplace of new technologies that has not been primarily concerned with the health needs of families and children. Kids left to themselves consume media as they do junk food. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 1/5 of those ages eight to eighteen now get as much as nineteen hours of media daily; and in the 1/3 of homes that limit media use, consumption declines by only 1/3. According to Dr. Schwarz, "Yes, more parents must take charge, but the negative approach of restricting access is just not enough. Kids from early ages need to form better habits than today’s teens."

"Kids, Parents, and Technology: An Instruction Manual for Young Families" rapidly gets parents to start treating media consumption in the same healthy ways they already employ to manage children’s food intake. They can make children’s home consumption of media a safe and rich asset to family life through fresh thinking that would also help educators, therapists, doctors, policy makers, businesses, and anyone else working with children. The book also provides in-depth thinking about the uses of digital media as therapeutic tools, looks at its future uses, and an example of a non-violent, educational, value-oriented action game.

After over a decade of explosive expansion of media consumption by children, we finally have the sensible and readable guide based on what children and families need that parents have been asking for. Dr. Schwarz makes practical recommendations based on a lifetime of clinical experience and the latest scientific knowledge, enabling parents to:


  • Take charge of the family’s media, as they already do thie automobile and other appliances.
  • Set proactive, positive goals.
  • Reform dramatically how kids spend time.
  • Create a new environment around interactive media promising mutuality, fun, and development for the entire family.
  • Redefine the role of digital gadgets and adopt a brand-new, powerful framework in raising children as they interact with streams of information from newly-available media.
The book asks parents "to commit to leading their youngsters towards positive uses of the Internet, videogames, smart phones, and whatever electronic media happen to us. By being fully present and applying sound child-rearing and family support principles, parents can now create balanced media plans that lead youngsters to the values and orientation they will need to succeed in an increasingly technology-rich world."


Eitan Schwarz MD FAACAP DLFAPA, is a doctor who knows kids, media, and families. He is board-certified in both general and child and adolescent psychiatry. During his nearly 40 years of distinguished practice and teaching in a variety of public, private, and academic settings, Dr. Schwarz has been steadily learning about the needs of children and families. Since medical school, he has also been studying the uses of technology in health care and the practice of medicine. Currently on the faculty of Northwestern University, he has recently researched the use of digital media in play therapy with children.

"Kids, Parents, and Technology: An Instruction Manual for Young Families" is published by Lulu.com in paperback and e-book.
 
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Amy S.

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Maybe. I do see some pluses to it. I certainly like it better than the smart phones. Pluses for kids would include a larger reading screen and access to books, and I like that there is no camera.
 

DG~X

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I would if he wanted one of course. But i would really wait till the devise gets a lot better, till a huge update happens or the second version is out.
 
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mydigitalfamily

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We just launched ZillyDilly for iPad that employs many principles in my book.
Dr.S
 
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Choklitdaddy

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I don't have children, and so may not be entitled to an opinion. However, I do have one: a good friend of mine has a 7-year-old son with rather severe Down Syndrome. They bought him an iPad (he currently has the iPad 2) and he's a whiz on it. So I have to say, Big Yes to iPads for children.
 

Nakedbabytoes

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I totally would!
Cost is the only thing that has stopped me thus far. Both my boys(ages 11 who is autistic & 4 who is typical development) have iPod touches at the moment. They both still have access to all the good apps & books, but on a smaller platform.
 

sanada

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Nop I would not until she or he is about 14 ! My friend bought one for her daughter who is 8 the screen smashed 3 days later ! I recommend getting your kids an iPod touch because of a smaller screen I does not break as easly. My yougest sister has an iPod touch and it has been thrown a lot ! She even wanted it to fly like an airplane and she throw it and it landed on the screen did not smash !
 

hpulmer

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No way. It's no toy for a child (toy for daddy!).
Enough that my 4 (ages 16-2) can play (and could work if they wanted to) with mine.
For the saved money I buy them tons of Lego- bricks and books instead.
 

Amy S.

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Granddaughter just turned 2.

I have some hands on experience,now. So, I am answering yes.

I have the original ipad and my GD loves it. I control when she can use it, but she love Itsy, Bitsy Spider, and You Tube or looking at pictures.

Mine is in a shock proof case, so their are no problems. IF she was to drop it hard enough to shatter the glass, that would be my fault, though.

It was wonderful on the last long car trip we took. She needs very little help with it.:thumbs:
 

sanada

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Amy S. said:
I have some hands on experience,now. So, I am answering yes.

I have the original ipad and my GD loves it. I control when she can use it, but she love Itsy, Bitsy Spider, and You Tube or looking at pictures.

Mine is in a shock proof case, so their are no problems. IF she was to drop it hard enough to shatter the glass, that would be my fault, though.

It was wonderful on the last long car trip we took. She needs very little help with it.:thumbs:

Well my
 

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