Kids and iPhones – it’s all about balance, by Jo Abi

I really enjoyed this post, by writer Jo Abi - about kids and iPhones. It most certainly resonated with me, as my twins have been obsessed with my iPhone since they could walk. Now they have iPads and I try to limit the time they spend on there. We paint, we draw, we rough and tumble, we go outside, we blow bubbles [really... I'm not just saying that. They are easily entertained!]

Mind you, my son's iPad was purchased with FaHCSIA funding and all we have are autism-specific apps, though he is definitely enamoured with YouTube-ing kids' cartoon videos [visit my Twitter page and see - he has somehow worked out how to post various YouTube links... to my Twitter page! I don't even know how he does this!]

I also enjoyed Jo's appearance on 'Breakfast' yesterday morning [see link, below]:

Here's an excerpt from Jo's piece:

My eight-year-old completely freaked me out with an “Your iPhone Screen Looks Broken” app a couple of weeks ago, my four-year-old is obsessed with the bowling app and my two-year-old girl plays the Dora Memory Cards game. I’m not proud and I am aware that their time on my iPhone needs to be monitored and limited. In an effort to ensure the next school holidays isn’t a tech-free-for-all I dusted off the games I purchased before the last school holidays – Twister, Monopoly, Guess Who, Uno and Cards. I even found Jacks!

This school holidays I am determined…my kids will not spend more than an hour a day TOTAL on computers, iPhones, iPads or any device with the word “Nintendo” on it.

This is going to be a massive task.

As was pointed out to me this morning, parents are busy. It takes time and effort to engage with your kids and make sure they are indulging in a variety of activities and Winter is the worst time for this. Please don’t rain during the school holidays!

We also have chalk to draw on the concrete out the back, water paints and my husband bought them new soccer balls which I plan to kick around the park with them.

To read the rest of this blog post, go here: http://joabi.com.au/2012/06/25/kids-and-iphones-its-all-about-balance/

And you can watch Jo's TV appearance here: http://tenbreakfast.com.au/video.htm?movideo_m=200486 

So, what do you think? Time limits on techy gadgets? Or let them dictate? Do you... gasp... use tech things as a babysitter sometimes?

Leave your comments below.