Ipods and Ipads

Of course, IF your child's school actually uses them and requires them AND you can afford it, I suppose it's okay.
I own an iphone and am a mac person and I, as an adult, don't even own an ipad!!
If people are comfortable giving their children $600 toys (what they are to THEM, even if we think they are educational) I suppose live and let live.
My 11 year old son doesn't yet have a mobile and when he and his sister "whine" about getting an ipad, I just say, I don't even have one and they're not getting one. End of story.
Our friends' kids got them from a kind grandma, but the older boy, 12, is on facebook, etc. So don't think that the kids won't be on something that they shouldn't. The WILL be. If not now, then next year, or the next.
Why rush it.
Again, if they NEED it for school, and I mean NEED it for school, then I guess you have to get one.
A kid that young shouldn't be even having this discussion.
Good luck!

If you don't have a smart phone you are not going to understand the draw they have, the ease to just touch the screen, how simple it is to not have to constantly punch stuff on the key pad.

I never thought I'd want to have a smart phone but now, I can't ever imagine going back. Our kids are on our phones all the time playing games, drawing pictures, playing word games with their other grandparents or siblings, they enjoy a while new world of stuff.

I would venture to say she is going to start showing she is behind technologically very soon. In kindergarten or first grade it isn't a lot of difference but I would say by the time she starts 2nd grade the world will be different and she'll be required to have one for school instead of any kind of computer. I think that computers are going to be obsolete before too long, at least desk top ones.

In the middle school you go to move in night right before school starts and there are no books, you have to rent a laptop for them to use, it has their school work on it, their homework, tests, etc...they have to have it or they do not get to attend. A personal one does not work either, the ones for school are keyed for parental controls and are not for personal use.

The times are changing and kids are going to experience life differently that we did. They are going to one day not even know what a new book smells like.

My daughter is 6 years old now and she also uses ipads at school. But when she was 5 yrs old my husband and I did give her his old ipod. I was very surprised how well she took care of it after explaining to her how to treat somehting like that. There are restrictions so she wont get into anything she shouldn't also there are ALOT of really great learning apps! I even downloaded a texting app on both her's and mine so she would send me texts from the other room...I was amazed at how that has helped her reading and spelling, I would text her words back and see if she could read them. Of course that kind of technology has to be limited and balanced with other ways of reading/ wrighting. But it is fun for her to change things up a bit.

My daughter (8) has an ipod touch and my son (10) has a kindle Fire. They use them for games, to text family (and a *few* friends), to read, play math games, and watch videos (mainly on the Fire). It's actually come in very handy because both kids are in competitive soccer so we spend a lot of time in the car and they can get their homework (reading, spelling, math) while we are driving. Both DH and I have iPads & iPhones. He uses his for work, I use mine for organization and entertainment while I'm at all those soccer practices, lol. The kids will NOT be getting ipads any time soon unless required for school.

I got my 6 year old an ipod for xmas. I'm the only with the password, so he can't download things without my permission. He is highly responsible and is great at taking care of it. He uses it frequently and it's something that I definitely feel I'm getting the money's worth out of. He's even great about sharing with his younger brother and sister.

My 4 year old isn't nearly as responsible. I can't trust him to put things back where they go or not put it down and forget about it. It's more than just an age thing - it's a personality thing. Therefore, he will not be getting an ipod any time soon.

I think it is worth the expense - depending on what you put on it! On ours: foreign language apps, reading apps, math apps, text books, fun books, piano app etc... So many great things! Of course you can't expect it to teach your kid but I think its an amazing tool and supplement to their education. My girls are 4 and 5.

My son got an iPodTouch for Christmas 2011. He was 8.

Is that what you're asking for?