A Parent's Struggle With a Child's iPad Addiction per David Pogue

Great post today from David Pogue: A Parent’s Struggle With a Child’s iPad Addiction

I‘m with David Pogue regarding “Moderation in all things.”  However, at 6:45 a.m. on a Saturday, I’m with Oscar Wilde, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”   On weekends, I gladly hand over my iPad to my 7-year-old in exchange for an extra hour of sleep.

We follow a similar prescription to David's—no electronics during the school week, before bed or at the table.  I also follow three others: our daughter has to ask before she can play on any gadget; if she doesn’t turn them off after the “ten minute warning,” she loses her “screen” privileges for a day (This sometimes involves counting, but I never get beyond two); and, usually, no gadgets during play dates.  That said our daughter is so busy on weekends with art classes, playing with friends, birthday parties, etc. that she hardly has time to play with her gadgets.  

I’m a believer in teaching children the importance of balancing technology in their lives and how to use it responsibly—such as to enhance learning and creativity.  Thanks, David, for the cool creative app recommendations (PuppetPals and Cut the Rope).