From what age did your grandchildren start to use gadgets?

Technology increases the range of skills a child can accumulate. Just don't leave them with it all day and make sure they haven't totally neglected older style skills. I'd guess about an hour a day active technology, an hour a day passive technology (eg TV viewing) and the rest as non-technology - roughly.

Before her first birthday, she would play simple games on tablet/phone, eventually she worked out which icon loaded her game. A little later on, she would copy mum and dad holding mobile to ear, and say 'bye' at the end, just like we did on a landline phone decades ago.

My five year old grandson has to do reading on his tablet before he can play games. Also if won't turn on until 9 in the morning. It turns off at 7 in the evening. There are cut out times programmed in as well so he cant play for great lengths of time. If used responsibly they are a learning tool.

I agree that a child may be at a disadvantage at school if they haven’t used a tablet or similar. But also think these things have to be limited and supervised, as with television. It’s possible to get on to inappropriate sites if parents aren’t vigilant.

My youngest niece declared my mother's Blackberry "broken" because she couldn't swipe. She was 3 at the time. She's 7 now, does very well at school, reads a lot....and has her own tablet ?

Phones handed to DGD to play with from the earliest possible moment. (To my horror)
That still happens, at age 4, but she also has her own tablet and is learning how to navigate around it and plays games.

Learning experience is good but I'm worried about the chance of infant brains being fried - or is that a myth?

My grandson had a Leap Pad and Vtech device from the age of about two and a half, but was never particularly interested in them. Later he graduated to playing Wii games such as Mario, and only recently had an XBox console. He has had access to the IPad and computer since he started school, and is very tech savvy, but until this Christmas he has not had a phone. His teacher told my SiL at a recent parents evening that he was one of a minority of children in Year 4-5/5-6 who did not have a phone. He was given a phone for Christmas (not because of the above), and will probably have a contract for it by his birthday. They were hoping to hold out until September when he starts secondary, but at least they will know by then whether he is using it resonsibly. He is only supposed to have a certain amount of time a day on any device, but, like any boy of his age, trying to get him off his laptop or XBox is like pulling teeth! If he oversteps the mark, he loses his privileges!

I limited my own children's access to gadgets and media when they were younger in order to get them reading proper, physical books. I have no idea what my DD will do with her own children if and when she has them.

To be honest it is a battle for me to get the DH to refrain from looking at gadgets at the table. However, it is disrespectful and anti social to pay attention to a screen instead of the meal I have prepared so it's a battle I am prepared to fight.

I have not noticed that screen addicts are more intelligent than others while readers certainly are.

Both my DGC use their mum's iPad and know how to use our phones (Android and iPhone) but they don't have their own. Computers have been in classrooms since my youngest DS was 4 (he's 28 soon!) and, properly supervised, I think they are a benefit. The world is changing and we must change with it!

On the positive side, I can always ask a gc to help me out when I have a problem with my technology.

All 6 from ages 3-13 are obsessed. Youngest could pick up my tablet & find a game at age 2. Not that I allowed it but he could & did.
The eldest is actually struggling with I.T. class so I'm not sure it s a great help. I confiscate all gadgets at bedtime so they don't play under the covers- they will try! NEVER allowed at the the or in the car- I want to TALK with them.
To be fair the younger 3 do prefer to play when they are here but at home you can't get a word out of the eldest boy.
I'm not a hypocrite as I do play games on my tablet at home but not for hours on end.

I think that you can't put the genie back in the box so modern technology should be accessible from a young age. DGS (just 6) uses a computer at school and accesses the same programmes at home. DD3's partner is an IT manager at a school so keeps the children upto date but safe. The others are probably not so au fait with devices but are certainly allowed and encouraged to use them.

It is the way of the world and we owe it to young people to encourage them to embrace it - whilst keeping them safe.

My youngest 2 DGC have used computers since they started school they had lessons 3 times a week in the school tech room.
Now my DGS on line to complete his homework every night the work is sent to his school site and the teacher marks it as received and then sends him back the results of his work.
It gives my DD the chance to make sure his homework is done on time.There is no getting away from it really just make sure it is securely monitored by an adult.

What I absolutely hate to see is a very small screaming child handed a mobile phone to keep him quiet, and conversely, a very small child screaming because a parent is trying to prise a mobile phone off him/her!! By very small I mean three and sometimes younger!

All these modern gadgets like gramophones and wirelesses. Surely they should be out cleaning chimneys?

My 3 have been using gadgets since they were very small.

These days a lot of schools set homework on line (Mathletics springs to mind) so its important that children are familiar with using an ipad or computer and mouse.

My grandson who has just gone 8 hates sitting down doing homework but thoroughly enjoys mathletics and doesn't see it as work at all.

I remember playing happily with a toy phone and later a toy switchboard, so it didn't surprise me to see a little lad in a pram playing with a toy smart phone the other day.

In our family, parents keep an eye on how much time children spend on computers, phone or tablet and monitor use of the internet and what is being watched on TV. No phones at the table!

Modern technology is necessary, and it is very necessary to teach children to use it responsibly.

My DS (8) had an iPad mini for his 4th birthday. I found lots of educational apps for him to use and he now has a reading and spelling ability of a mid-teens teenager, and is well ahead of his peers at school in terms of use of language and numbers. He also goes to swimming club and attends a computer coding club after school.
I think it’s shortsighted to treat technology as the enemy.

Xymox
At what age are your family thinking of bringing their children into the 21st century?

I am pretty dependent on my grandchildren to sort out my technology problems....they find it so easy.
All their parents are technology wizards, and I am intrigued to know when they be overtaken by their children.

At what age do you think a granny should acquire a smart phone? I haven't got one yet.

I see toddlers in pushchairs using mums mobile phone, and they know how to use them better than I do. But I think that some people let the children have them too much. On the other hand some mothers talk to their children, and it seems to me that these children are much better at having conversations, and are happier.

My GS (aged 3) likes to use the torch on my phone.When I stay he will come into my bed in a morning and we'll play hiding under the covers from monsters and making shadows on the ceiling with our hands. The other morning (around6.30am) he turned off the torch announced "It's dark Granny. Go to sleep." I snuggled down pretending-and went back to sleep. I woke to noises and giggles. He'd found the ring tones selection and was workng his way through it, giggling at each one. When we got up I found he'd turned my phone vibrate!

I was always at the forefront with technology. Did anyone else learn BBC Basic and try to write programmes with it? I also have no problem with gadgets. They have so many uses and can teach concepts in an interesting exciting way when used well. My concern is the amount of time my DGC spend, often curled up in awkward looking positions, and watching mostly rubbish. DS sometimes realises this and tells them, 'Just 5 more minutes'. Hours later they are still there as he has been on his phone! So far they are active in other ways such as sport, but we no longer seem to spend time on walks, adventures or just playing out. I have no control now as I am accused of 'nagging' or moaning', even by the children. I am not their parent so don't have the control I had with my own DC.