Should we Leave Kids Ipads at Home?

I have been debating this with myself for our upcoming trip as well as my boys 8
&9 seem to be more and more into their devices every day. I think my plan is to allow them for the flight ( we will be leaving our house at 4am and I really want a nap on the plane) and for a little bit of time when we get back to the room for a break or in the evening. Though they usually are ready for bed after walking the parks all day
 
I thnk we all have our own rules and restrictions in our homes, and none of them are wrong. People parent their own way. When my DGD was young my DD would take a little bag with things to occupy her during a long dinner. SOme folks thought that was crazy, giving a little girl crayons at dinner time? As she got a little older she had a little device with games on it. Again, DD heard that the little one should be participating in dinner conversation. Really? Some meals just stretch out a long time, and she ws one kid....no other to interact with and let's face it, adult conversation gets BORING to a child. SHe bothered no one in the restaurants. This worked for our family, and at 17 DGD is an honor student, holds a job, has been accepted into all the schools she applied to, and is a huge help to DD at home.

Whe she vacations she and her Dad will often take phones to Pokémon together. She has little interest, however Dad enjoys it and they have a ball checking out whatever that game makes them look for. Their park time is filled with way more than attractions, and to others it may seem they are locked into their devices, however they are relly more engaged with each other than a lot of people standing silent in queues.

My point is that parents have the responsibility of managing their children's use of electronics, and should do so in a manner that makes sense to them. Some kids need more oversight than others. No one should be critical if a parent chooses to allow them or determines that for their children, devices need to be left home on a vacation.My DGD needed very little oversight as a child, and needs even less now. The two Princesses on my street would never put theirs down if Mom did not put her foot down.
 
That is the craziest thing I've heard in a long time lol. Last time I checked; there's a huge difference between being a child and an adult; a child's brain and an adult's; a child's responsibilities and an adult's. By that logic; I suppose we should go ahead a serve alcohol and tobacco to all children who has a parent that ever consumes either lol... and they better be splitting the bills. :rolleyes:


My point being if the reason they want the kids to leave them behind is to keep them full engaged in the trip, then the adults need to make every effort to be fully engaged too. Not, make the kids leave the electronics at home yet dad stands in the queue glued to his phone. Sometimes the adult needs to set the example.
 
My point being if the reason they want the kids to leave them behind is to keep them full engaged in the trip, then the adults need to make every effort to be fully engaged too. Not, make the kids leave the electronics at home yet dad stands in the queue glued to his phone. Sometimes the adult needs to set the example.

Actually, the OP was asking about her children's use of their IPads on the trip, nothing was said about the adults usage until you brought it up in your post. What the adults (parents) do with their phones would be another discussion completely that has nothing to do with this thread. For some reason you seem fixated on parents usage of their own electronics.
 
I have a 7yo and an almost three year old (he will still be two when we go). We’re leaving in a few weeks. I’ll bring the iPad (we only have one that they have to share and if they won’t share then no one gets to use it) but it will be for the airport/flight and maybe for a few minutes in the evening if we have any down time. I would not let them play in the AM because I don’t think they need to start their days that way. Also absolutely no way I’d let them take any kind of device into the parks. My 7yo has an iPod and I still don’t know if I’m going to let her bring it at all, but if I do she will leave it in the room.
Parents shouldn’t be on their phones all the time either, but in no way do I think kids should try to justify how much electronic time they get based on what their parents are doing.
I’m not a huge fan of kids being on phones, iPads, etc, but I know it’s going to be a part of their worlds so I am going to focus on responsible use rather than trying to just keep it away all together. My 7yo will play on her iPod but when I tell her after 20-30 minutes that it’s time to wrap up I have no issues.
 
My biggest concern with not bringing them at all, though, is that it did serve as a means for DH and I to get ready for the day, pick up the room, whatever else needed to be done in the morning or evening, or while we were waiting at the airport. I have visions of missing a flight or even a flight delay for hours with no way to entertain them.

I'd bring them but put them in the safe once you arrive. That way they have them for travel. :-)
 


I don't want to ever think about the trip we decided to drive 9-10 hours down to WDW, and the boy killed the dvd player on the way back. We left a good number of electronics at home. That trip home was NOT one I want to remember. The rest of my crew are TALKERS. I wanted to throw myself out of the car about half way home. Take the ipads, it's a great fall back position for any number of issues, ie, rainy day, can't sleep, need 20 minutes to get ready yourself situations. I wouldn't bring them in the parks but YMMV.
 
Actually, the OP was asking about her children's use of their IPads on the trip, nothing was said about the adults usage until you brought it up in your post. What the adults (parents) do with their phones would be another discussion completely that has nothing to do with this thread. For some reason you seem fixated on parents usage of their own electronics.

It's completely relevant. If the kids have to leave their devices at home but then the parents spend a significant amount of the vacation glued to their phones, it's hypocrisy. No matter how much you argue 'the parents can do whatever they want because they're the parents,' that kind of message never pays off.

I do not think the OP indicated they would behave that way. But it's silly to react as if it never happens and instead this is some form of letting the children run the show.
 
It's completely relevant. If the kids have to leave their devices at home but then the parents spend a significant amount of the vacation glued to their phones, it's hypocrisy. No matter how much you argue 'the parents can do whatever they want because they're the parents,' that kind of message never pays off.

I do not think the OP indicated they would behave that way. But it's silly to react as if it never happens and instead this is some form of letting the children run the show.

I believe this kind of “if then” kind of attitude is silly. As an adult I have choices that children simply do not have. This is true in every affect of life: as an employee my supervisors can model their behavior differently than I, as do their managers. One cannot tell a manager that if I may not use the internet than the same holds true for all.

Since when do the same rules for children apply to their parents, and who gets to make that determination for all families?
 
I believe this kind of “if then” kind of attitude is silly. As an adult I have choices that children simply do not have. This is true in every affect of life: as an employee my supervisors can model their behavior differently than I, as do their managers. One cannot tell a manager that if I may not use the internet than the same holds true for all.

Since when do the same rules for children apply to their parents, and who gets to make that determination for all families?
I really can't speak for the original poster who brought it up but I know in my comments it was related to using phones if the parents were bored and they were playing games on them because the OP knew their kids would want to play games on their ipads. I think in that case it does send a mixed message when the parents reason for the kids to not have access to the ipads was because "spending a lot of money and don’t want them even tempted to waste it on an iPad".

So at least for me it's not that the same rules apply to adults as they do kids so much that it's a mixed message type thing. We're also talking about nearly 10 year olds not real young kids; the nearly 10 year olds would certaintly be aware of if their parents are playing on games in line, back in the room when they were told they couldn't play games at those times as it was inappropriate and they wanted them to not waste time on them. This is mostly a trivial thing but I don't think this is something we can extrapolate out to all the what if scenarios out there for all our everyday lives; this is for a specific reason for a specific vacation. There are many times where an adult can be using their electronic device where they've made it known their kids cannot IMO.

I did make sure to say in my comment "You're still the parent just think that would be the optimal thing to do."
 
I have not read all of the replies, so this is directly to the OP.

I would not think of making my kid leave her iPad at home. She already has time limits on it during school nights. Vacation means you get to play.

We don't bring iPads to the parks. In lines we talk to each other, play the parks app, or look at our Memory Maker photos.

But to tell her she can't use it during travel and in the room seems pretty rude. I wouldn't do that.
 
7 hrs on a plane with 3 kids who hate flying without their iPads? lol noooo thank you. We take them for sure, kids have no interest in them at the parks or during the main part of the day, they may unwind and have some quiet time with them in the afternoon at the room as a way to relax and decompress (something that can potentially do at home). So it all depends on their normal routines. Often when you disrupt a routine it can become a problem, people often over think it and that's where it can get a little difficult to navigate. My advice would be to do what you feel is comfortable, relate it to their normal routines. You will find that the kids will be so engaged in the Disney experience that they will hardly use them so it becomes a non-issue from that regard, but when they do 'need' them for whatever reason, you will be happy you brought them.

As a funny aside, my kids like to fall asleep to the music that is played on the hotel resort tv that shows the weather and what is happening today! haha...
 
I’m so glad you posted this. My husband has been so firm of the no iPads this trip, but he is honestly the biggest abuser. I posted because I wasn’t feeling right about our super strict, unreasonable policy. I asked DH just before you posted how he would feel if he had to leave his phone home, and got an interesting look after. This is exactly how I was feeling—that they should be allowed to bring them, but with strict limits. We don’t want the temptation, but I can’t help but think we are just trying to make our job easier by removing them, and that’s not the solution either.

You should not feel like this. You are the adults and have every right to do what you please because you have worked for it. Life is not fair and that is a very important lesson for kids to learn, that their parents can do things that they can not. I am still kind of shocked how many parents buy their very young children these very expensive electronics. You are the parent and if you want them to leave their electronics at home, then have them stay at home. You should never feel guilty for wanting your kids to be able to go without that stuff for a few days. My 16 yo just looked over my shoulder to read this post and her response was "what 7-8 yo has and I pad" and then she said " parents and children are not equal". I take comfort knowing that I raised her right. Please know that you are the adult and make the decisions. Do not for 1 second feel bad or guilty for things like this.
 
My 16 yo just looked over my shoulder to read this post and her response was "what 7-8 yo has and I pad"
Lots of kids nowadays, good or bad, have ipads or similar devices. Heck my aunt is a 2nd grade elementary teacher and ALL the kids are given ipads to use at school. It's seriously shifted, good or bad, to a lot of electronic aspect. Those kids in the school when they are a few years older get ipads to take home and do work on them.

I don't advocate for buying the electronics as opposed to the schools using them at that young age but the fact of the matter is it's become very common place for even 2 and 3 year olds to have a very working knowledge of cell phones :scared:. At that age I think I was just happy with a ball :rotfl:

With exception to 1 person whose message is a bit stronger than others I don't think anyone has made a statement that parents and children are equal at all. My parents also raised me right and there were def. times that were "led by example" :D
 
It's completely relevant. If the kids have to leave their devices at home but then the parents spend a significant amount of the vacation glued to their phones, it's hypocrisy.

No, it's not relevant at all to the Op's question. Anyway, I have not said anything about that except in response to another poster. Maybe you have not read the replies. It's #16, so not sure why you are directing this to me! I said nothing at all like that! :confused3
 
Lots of kids nowadays, good or bad, have ipads or similar devices. Heck my aunt is a 2nd grade elementary teacher and ALL the kids are given ipads to use at school. It's seriously shifted, good or bad, to a lot of electronic aspect. Those kids in the school when they are a few years older get ipads to take home and do work on them.

I don't advocate for buying the electronics as opposed to the schools using them at that young age but the fact of the matter is it's become very common place for even 2 and 3 year olds to have a very working knowledge of cell phones :scared:. At that age I think I was just happy with a ball :rotfl:

With exception to 1 person whose message is a bit stronger than others I don't think anyone has made a statement that parents and children are equal at all. My parents also raised me right and there were def. times that were "led by example" :D

Of course you can lead by example for many things. But that does not mean that parents should not do something because the child is not doing it. The whole notion of "if the parents have it then the kids should" is ridiculous. And the OP should not feel bad at all for not allowing their kids to take their electronics if that is what they decide.
 

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