From what age did your grandchildren start to use gadgets?

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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 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 ?

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 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.

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.

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.

Yes, my two year old grandson knows how to access my iPad. And phone to watch CBB's and you tube kids.

I always sit with him and it's quite educational really.
But have to hide it when we want him to do other stuff, like get his coat and shoes on etc.

'But these things are tools'

Xymox.... You are absolutely right to be worried about all this technology at such an early age... My grandkids are boy 10 and girl 6 and they are allowed to go on my phone or their mums for 40 mins a day. Even tele is limited to 1 hour a day. The eldest was just given a mobile for Xmas because he now rides a bike to school 2 miles away and has to cross couple of busy roads.... so sometimes he's late from school. Now he can ring the parents or me and tell us what's happening. He is NOT allowed the phone at school... they all have to go into the office till lunch time ...and then again they put them back into office and pick them up at home time. He's us now the only 'millionaire reader' at his school which he achieved within first half -term. He reads avidly. His sister is on year 3 level readers while still in year 1. Limiting their technology both parents believe is beneficial. Of course non of us can go backwards and wouldn't want to.... but these hints are tools and shouldn't be used for ALL a child's entertainment OR worse as babysitters.

The first word uttered by my sons baby niece, not mummy or daddy but iPad! That just says it all!!

Actually some of the games on these devices are surprisingly good for hand eye coordination and stimulating thinking skills.

My 2 year old granddaughter knows how to use my phone to find videos and YouTube on iPad. Obviously she only uses under supervision though

7 and 6 year old are allowed iPads in the back of the car for films etc on long car journeys. And the 3 year old is allowed a “toy” with games and activities on it.
But a Kindle or iPad for an 18 month old???

I do not have GC but I do have two children.

My son is 3 and my daughter is 19 months.

Both own Amazon Kids Kindles and know how to use them to access the games and shows they want. My son can open and operate my phone and has been able to for a number of years.
We have SkyQ and my son knows how to activate the voice control to get what he wants on TV and my daughter does try but her speech isn't developed enough for it to understand her.

We also own Alexa and they can both command it but again my daughters speech isn't there just yet.

We also own XBox and PS4 and my son is starting to learn how to play them.

We love technology in our home. Things are only going to develop more and we don't want to hinder their knowledge.

Our use of modern technology does not hinder other aspects. My son attends rugby and football, my daughter is about to start sign Language classes and when he grows up my son says he wants to be an excavator driver.
What ever they choose the reality is they will need a firm understanding of technology.

My grandchildren all started using IPads before going to school but “screen time” including TV is strictly limited! Reading has high profile and Lego! One GS had to take the 11+ on computer!

My teenage DGS could put a dvd on when he was two!
The younger DGC have iPad time and games for the computer.Nothing wrong with it IMHO this is the world we live in now, and technology is moving on all the time.
It would only be a problem if children never do anything else , no sports/play etc.