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Tablet and Smartphone use for children (www.thelocal.dk)
submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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With some jurisdictions categorically recommending that children under a certain age (in the case of Denmark under 13) should not have a tablet or smartphone, what is your opinion on the appropriate age/way to introduce these devices to your children's life? Do you use your own devices together with your children? If so, how and when?

While my own children are still unquestionably too young for tablets or smartphones, I'm already afraid of the social pressure that is likely to arise at an ever younger age when their friends start getting devices.

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[-] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

I agree no younger than 13.

Knowing my son, it wont be until highschool for us, at the earliest. A middle school boy showed my son how to look up naughty words on Spotify/the internet. So, big nope from me.

We do limited supervised access only for educational purposes. The internet is a tool, and my child dont need that in his pocket.

I/we have never felt social pressure to get him a phone. He's today 12. He makes friends everywhere he goes. Right now in this life stage I have a focus on teaching internet safety, how marketing works, and how to spot reputable/non reputable resources.

[-] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago

You should probably avoid them as long as you can. But people act like they're haunted or something lol. They're tools, like a hammer. Should I give my kids a hammer? If they want a hammer to build a bird house, sure. If they want a hammer to fuck shit up, no lol. Should I leave them alone with that hammer, absolutely not, until I teach them how to use it and they prove they can be responsible.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

Tablets aren't a baby sitter.

But denying your kids access to them until a certain age and then turning them loose and wishing them good luck is harming them so much more.

My example I always go back to is schools and banning cell phones. My school had an outright ban. You walk into school, you shut the phone off and put it in your locker. Which at its face, kind of makes sense. But then I went to college and nobody cared about my phone. I spent my first semester on my phone near constantly. I had to take weeks to teach myself that, while having my phone is nice, I still need to pay attention in class.

Technology exists to better our lives and outright denying children from learning HOW to use it properly is going to be to their detriment.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

You don't have to own a phone to learn how to use it properly. I didn't own my own computer as I learned to use one as a kid.

Supervised access exists, and parents are responsible for teaching internet safety to children.

Your college experience is a you thing. My much younger BIL did his first year at college this year, and thanked his parents for not letting him have a lot of screen time growing up because he can see the addiction in the people around him.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Tablets aren’t a baby sitter.

Goodness, don't even get me started... 😡

I had to take weeks to teach myself that, while having my phone is nice, I still need to pay attention in class.

That tells me that the previous school's ban made sense & bore fruit.

[-] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

We had a family tablet that met an unfortunate end, and honestly, I couldn't be happier it died. Over time, my kid got surly about tablet time (age 5-7) and it made life less pleasant. I've been pondering an e-reader recently, but only barely.

These days (8yo) they have an old phone for some simple things, mostly Habitica, and it does not go to the bedroom.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

As someone who worked with kids that age I'd say not under 6. Not that it will destroy them, but imho there's simply no need. Kids that age are busy with learning socio-emotional skills, motor skills and such. Of course, if they watch a short cartoon every now and then, what difference does it make what device they watch it on. Still, not without supervision, unless you're 100% sure you know how it impacts them (most kids do like to have their favorite stories repeated though, one could make a playlist for those times when one really needs to stay in bed a little longer).

After that I believe kids should have one, simply because society demands they get savvy with it, but not unsupervised/unrestricted. It is shocking to see how many parents give their kids unrestricted 24/7 access to the internet as soon as they start going to school.

When or how you start lifting restrictions of time & content? Highly individual, depends both on kids and parents.

this post was submitted on 14 May 2025
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