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I found this article amazing as most of us have children. I have realized that my four year old daughter uses the iPad more than her dolls. I also thought to myself how much screen time is too much? As I was reading the article I realized that it focused more on 2 years old toddlers and the amount of screen time they need. The article didn't come up with a number but did talk about the difference between a toddler staring at the screen while working on applications and interacting socially with the use of the screen. I personally don't have an issue with my daughter playing with the iPad and attempting to navigate it and learn how to use it. My daughter has attempted to learn different things on the iPad but it was ineffective so we used a grease board or an outdoor activity that allows her to understand the skill or knowledge. So my question is how much technology does a young child need? Is society forcing them to learn this way as a priority? Are we as parents or teachers replacing our creativity with technology?

I think technology should be dictated by the parent because every child is different. I also believe that while some parents could be a little more flexible with technology keeping a close eye with their child's development in cognition skills is always concern. It far too easy to use technologies as a bitter sitter in the long run it could have dire consequences for the child.

I agree with you Chris my four year old daughter play more with her Ipad than with her toys she is so addicted to her Ipad that sometimes i don't know what to do. She loves playing games and practice her acb and the numbers but, most of the time are the games. Sometimes I think is are fault for our kids to be so addicted to technology because we use technology as a bitter sitter.

I think it's up to the parents to find a good balance between technology and other non-technology activities. I don't have children but my 3 year old niece loves playing with the iPad. However, she still has just as much fun with some of the more traditional activities, working on a puzzle, writing in a notebook, working with flashcards etc... I think there can be some great benefits from having children use technology but I think they can potentially become overdosed with it. They should still be involved in physical activities and the more traditional social/communication activities.

Amanda, I agree that a balance is important to establish early on to create good habits in a child. I also believe that children mimic their parents, so the child sees mom and dad on the phone, laptop, iPad etc...they think this must be what I should be doing. The behavior of child can often times is determined by the actions of the parent. Parents need to demonstrate the behavior they want their children to have. My father always said" Do as I say, not as I do." The sad truth Dad is we watched and did exactly what you did, right or wrong, good or bad!

Jose, I agree that parents and teachers do use technology as baby sitters. The amount of screen time definitely interferes with the development of some very important interpersonal skills needed in life. Skills that studies show that they would be deficit in are oral communications, collaboration and creativity. These skills require practice and screen time decreases the chances that children will have the opportunity to practice. Steven Baskins talks about his experiences in getting children to put the device down and start acquiring the above skills. http://youtu.be/4rI3olRHxP4

Jaime, I too have witnessed and been part of the baby sitter "tablet monster". I have now an entire year training my four year old table manners. I sit her down and teach her about the important basic table etiquette. Yet, in regards to the use of the tablet I must approve the application and I generally go through it with her at least once so that I approve and guide her to actual learning. The issue I have is the actual applications that are designed. I have a handful that I allow my daughter to utilize and in reality they are poor in quality. I do agree with you Jaime that each child is different and some can have more flexibility than others.

Jose, Yes! Technology and technological appliances are like "popcorn" at the movies. The movies has not even started and we are entertained by eating popcorn. I sit down and eat the entire bowl of popcorn even before the movie even starts. My daughter's table use to be like the popcorn. I failed too as a parent. I would sit her down and do the entire process. I believe that the more tools we have the more responsibility we have as parents and teachers to properly execute the learning.

Amanda, Physical activity is so important to children but I ask how much time is just enough? A balance is correct but what numbers do we work with? I am curious I allow my daughter about 30 min straight on the tablet. Then, I switch up the activity but in reality how much is she learning in those 30 min? What do you think Amanda?

Lucretia, It is so true! My daughter's mother informs me that it is difficult for her to get our daughter from asking for the tablet. Yet, the times I have eaten lunch or dinner as a family I observe my daughter's mother texting away on facebook, twitter or one of the many social media. Toddlers do what you do because it is easier for them to pick up what they see with their eyes. Great Comment Lucreti! Yet, I have to ask what if our behavior is not followed? What if you have a toddler or child who conducts himself/herself in a different manner than what you display as a parent? How do you guide? How do you establish good habits?

Lucretia, Great video clip! In regards to your comment I worry about creativity and problem solving skills. Creativity is drained if you plug a child in front of a tablet for hours because everything is given to them. All they have to do is observe, swipe, click and continue the same pattern. I occasionally have my daughter paint, sketch, cut, paste and work on general art skills and at the beginning she struggled to even follow the lines with a crayon. I have observed that technology must be used with a very specific purpose, plan and goal. Lucretia I really enjoyed the video clip!

Chris, You pose some really good questions! I have done some research and there really is not any clear cut guidelines established yet. The only thing I found was no more than 2 hours of screen time total a day for toddlers. I guess as parents we are going to have to set limits just as we do for other things that we know can potentially harm our children, despite the tears and the wailing!

I think that young children that are exposed to technology at an early age really do find it fascinating. I think about my brother who last year purchased all four of his children ipads. He stated he did it for educational reasons, but there is something unsettling about that. Like, shouldn't they start off by reading books first. I mean to each there own. I believe that technology is a great thing for children to use, but moderalty as there are books, magazines and other forms of communication to explore. True technology is a tool that we can now use to make our lives much easier, but we should not escape from our basic foundations either. My 7 month old grabs my smart phone becuase of the lights...but I can't help but wonder if there is something else that intreges her about my smart phone rather than it's color and bright lights. Does she find the moving screen entertaining? Does she like that when she clicks on the phone's face different applications pop out? At just 7 months of age, she seems very enthralled by technology, so I can't help but think that maybe there is a shift in the dynamic of this new generation. Almost like it's enfussed within them to connect with it. I know this maybe too far reaching...but just some food for thought. Still, some may argue it's the lights, but I still feel that it's more than that. My daughter really enjoys the fast movements of the phone, and after all technology is all about being fast. This is the cutlure that we live in now. When I was a baby I wonder what enthralled me, since technology was but an aspiration at that time.

I think you do become a product of your environment. I think back to when I was a child and things did run a bit slower. The little things grabbed your attention. Today the world does move a lot faster and their are countless electronic devices to capture a young child's attention. We do not want them to become numb to the beauty of the stars twinkling in the night sky, but how many of us still find opportunities to go see a fireworks display and do not even realize the stars are up there. Now as I get older, I reflect on those little things, but I have to admit that the environment I worked in for most of my life was fast-paced and you either adjusted to it or held on to the simple life and quickly go left behind. I think technology evolution impacts us whether we want it to or not!