Hellobee Boards Topic: Technology at a young age

Hellobee Boards Topic: Technology at a young age https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 17 May 2026 06:34:28 +0000 Running Elley on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218412 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:12:17 +0000 Running Elley 218412@https://boards.hellobee.com/ They were just talking about this on the radio this morning and DH and I had a discussion about this exact thing with our best friends last weekend! I agree that everything in moderation is best and that the main issue with the differences in childhood now versus childhood years ago is a change in parenting/the way that parents approach things with their children. A huge part of me really wants to keep our children more involved in the play outside with the cousins/neighborhood kids lifestyle. I think it’s hugely important for their social skills/manners. However, I also worry that with technology being so prevalent in society today that our children will be at a disadvantage if they aren’t really plugged in early in life. Almost everything is centered around something technology-related now so not being at the same tech level as the kids who were playing on an iphone as a toddler could be an issue later on. I’m not sure how exactly we’re going to handle it honestly and it’s an intimidating decision! Honeybee on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218398 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:06:27 +0000 Honeybee 218398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I did some research on the Millennial generation, and actually a lot of the behavioral issues you mentioned, including the parenting issues, are attributed to technology. But technology has also affected out children in really positive ways by making them more accepting of diversity, stronger advocates of equality, and more interested in teamwork and inclusiveness. Also, new parenting models have created some issues, but overall parents and children both report feeling more satisfaction with the child/parent relationship than ever before, so it's not all bad. Personally, DD was only 21(ish) months when she figured out how to unlock my smartphone and access her favorite Sesame Street YouTube videos; and that's with pretty limited access (maybe once or twice a week). Technology is being designed to be more and more intuitive, so it makes sense that kids would be able to operate technology at younger ages. What really bother me is not that children have access to technology, but that many parents these days do not practice or teach internet safety and media moderation. We're in the "everything in moderation" camp. I doubt we'll buy our kids their own tvs, digital cameras, cell phones, tablets, etc... at young ages, but that's more because of our views on commercialism/materialism than our views on technology. I think technology is a wonderful tool; it just shouldn't be the only tool you rely on. matador84 on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218182 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:25:03 +0000 matador84 218182@https://boards.hellobee.com/ By the time my nephew was two, I remember he could log on the computer and play around with different things and watch YouTube videos. I think it's really easy for parents to just hand over their device as a way of keeping kids occupied. I was really close to two of my professors in college and at the time their children were young, around 4 and 6. They were so smart and well-behaved. While maybe a little extreme, they didn't have a tv in the house and had an amazing garden and patio in the backyard. I think a lot of this had to do with the way they played and grew social instead of being so "plugged in." Like pp....everything in moderation. Minnie_Girl on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218180 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:22:36 +0000 Minnie_Girl 218180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I strongly believe in a childhood that fosters creative thinking and interaction with the world. Technology does the opposite; you "experience" something, but the experience is completely superficial. It teaches you to get pleasure from a box while sitting inactive. It's hardly the only issue parents/kids face today, but I have every intention of keeping my children away from screens. Computer, video game, and TV time can be treats for when they're older, at an age when they can also start getting practical use out of the machines. purrpletulips on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218176 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:20:24 +0000 purrpletulips 218176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I agree with @Andrea, technology itself is not to blame but parents. We take the it is OK in moderation approach. We limit DD's TV to maybe one episode of something age appropriate on Netflix (except for when we are watching the news/baseball and she is still awake); at 27m she doesn't focus enough to even watch a 20min episode which is fine with us. Both DH and I have smartphones because of our jobs and we have a Kindle Fire, we allow DD limited access to them to play memory/matching games but are always the ones to initiate the activity (if she brings us the devise and asks we don't typically do it at that time but may later). We encourage her to play with her toys and her crayons and kitchen set more than allow technology to be the focus. Adira on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218152 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:27:19 +0000 Adira 218152@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I definitely agree with everything in moderation. I also don't really see the necessity of getting young children expensive pieces of technology. Hubs and I don't even have smart phones, so there's no way my kid is getting one, haha. I do understand why people let their kids play with their iphone and stuff when they just need them to sit still and be quiet though, and I can definitely see myself doing that. But I won't be buying those types of things for my kids until they are MUCH older. heffalump on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218147 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 07:22:46 +0000 heffalump 218147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think everything is ok in moderation. I think there are pros and cons to it, and I'm honestly not sure how we'll deal with it when she's older. Her 6 year old cousin has an ipad and left it at my mom's house after a party. Her dad called accusing someone of stealing it. Ummm.... no, the guests at my parents party aren't thieves. Maybe your 6 year old isn't responsible enough to take care of an ipad yet. Andrea on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218123 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:33:09 +0000 Andrea 218123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I agree that technology isn't completely to blame for children's behavior. Parenting has also completely changed over the years and people coddle their children too much and don't give them the freedom to develop imaginations. Most of my friends are helicopter parents and it is just painful to watch. It's always don't do this, don't do that, I need to be on top of you every second of the day. I think I watched a ton of TV when I was younger but I also played outside and independently a lot of the times, too. I think kids these days are under lock down too often. brownie on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218118 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 06:23:00 +0000 brownie 218118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ As someone who is in the tech industry I thing technology is great. It is a new way of interacting with the world. I also don't believe it should replace all of those other things you mentioned. My son gets his dose of time on my phone and has his own iPod touch. If we need him to be quiet for some time he gets toddler lock. But we also take him to children's museums and parks to run around and play. I just think about the different skill sets they will have when they grow up. I personally don't believe technology is the basis for the issues you pointed out. I think it is parenting and society. Parents these days give almost immediate feedback to their precious star. They don't demand their child focus but let them do whatever they want. Their lives revolve around their child instead of their child working into the family. Teachermama on "Technology at a young age" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/technology-at-a-young-age#post-218099 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 03:10:49 +0000 Teachermama 218099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I was stopped at a stop light, I look over to the car next to me, I see three girls, one is texting, one is on iPod, one is watching a movie. My 3 yr old niece got an iPod. Grandma is getting her a cell phone when she goes to kindergarten. Flash back 25 yrs ago...I played in the dirt, trees, grass using my imagination, we rode bikes, built forts, made obstacle courses. Kids are so wired and plugged in, I see it's affects in my class...no social skills, no imaginations, they need instant feedback, have a hard time focusing. We are a techie world...but what about real play. What are your thoughts on exposing your child to technology?