is it okay to try to hide things from your kids as long as possible?

Question

I'm due in December and I don't want my kid to know about cell phones or computers or iPads and commercial television. What I am okay with are things like disney movies, and picking out kids shows on netflix. I just watch my sister in laws kids glued to cell phones and iPads playing games and the games have ads on them, like why? They're trying to play paw patrol and your showing them a clothing site and interrupting their game. Idk I just want to parent old school I guess. I want them to have the VHS tapes and DVDs to watch, coloring books and things that we all use to do to learn. Is this something that is possible? Is it crazy to want to do this? Should I not force them to live in the past. I know computer skills will help them in their future. I'm a graphic designer but still, I didn't grow up with all this stuff. Even their oldest 13 is glued to her phone all day and there's no point in trying to get them off of it, it last for maybe a half hour then everyone's right back on it.

Accepted Answer

It's weird to hide the existence of these things from them, but wanting to parent without cellphones or ipads is not crazy. I think you can raise your kids without technology while still not acting like it doesn't exist. 
I don't plan to let my kid use an ipad or cellphone as entertainment at all. There's been studies done where they follow the mental development of children who have had a screen in their face from a young age, it makes it harder for them to empathize, to socialize, and in extreme cases it can even delay their social and speech development. 
So I am all for raising kids to not have technology. But if you think about it, they sell cellphones in grocery stores and stuff. Everywhere you go someone is on their phone. It would be extremely difficult, and in my opinion unessisary, to hide their existence.

Answer

I didn't have television until I was 13, internet at 16 and my first phone at 17. I'm now 24. I see nothing wrong with limiting a child's intake of such things. Make them play outside. A 12 year old does not need an iPhone. An 8 year old does not need a tablet for games, they can color and use play doh, that's why those things exist. Yes, if the child is in extracurricular activities at 13 and will be out and about for practice and such, get them a pre-paid. It works just as well as a smart phone without all the shit and cost. Parent how you feel is right. No shame in keeping them off technology until their teen years.

Answer

Obviously none of us have the right to tell you how to parent, but it just seems to me like it would make more sense to limit their screen time than try to hide it. From my experience, the more deprived someone is of something, the crazier they get when they finally have it. You don't want your kids to go crazy the first time they're old enough to make their own decisions about screen time. It's more important to teach them self control/balance. "On rainy days, we watch movies, but when it's sunny out we're going to go outside and play".
Also, I've said this in other threads about screen time, but I'm all for teaching them how to make technology a part of a healthy active lifestyle. Like you can take them for hikes and use their phones to track your steps. Use it to look up different types of trees and birds and whatnot. Get that app that teaches about constellations and take them star gazing. Look up recipes to cook together. Teach them to use the gps to look up directions for a trip you're going on, stuff like that.

Answer

Sure it is. We limit screen time a lot in our house.

In terms of hiding these things from your kids? Eventually you won't be able to. Kids see them. If you go to the grocery store those little observant munchkins will see all of it because other parents use them.

The better option is limiting these items. We do Netflix and movies on iTunes or DVD. Rly kids love Disney movies. They don't really watch tv much at all. They do get a little screen time now, well my 6 and 4.5 year old do, but I limit it and put a timer on them. My 16 month old absolutely does not.

Unless you are totally housebound and never go out, the kids will see these things and be curious about them. It's part of our world. I limited exposure to my kids a lot, but it eventually creeps in. My eldest even uses computers and iPads in school.

Still, nothing wrong with strict limitations on it. Kids don't need iPads and YouTube all the time.

Answer

It's fine not to introduce these things, but a little crazy to try to keep your kids ignorant on the fact they're there 👀

Answer

Trying to hide the existence and limiting the exposure are very different. I agree with super limited screen time.

Answer

I don't think you should try and hide the existence of these things just don't let your kids have access to them if you don't want them to.

Answer

I didnt have a call until I was 16 and I payed for it myself. never even had cable growing up, and didnt have a computer at home until I was 17. That being said, the world is different than it was when I was a kid. They have scheduled tablet time in elementary schools now. Middles schools provide tablets and laptops to all students. Homework is provided through computers and email and websites, even when I was in high school it was starting to be that way. I completely agree with limiting screen time. But I think trying to raise my kid as if it all didnt exist would end up being a disservice to them. Just with how much education and technology have evolved since I was in school, and how much more it will by the time my children are in school.

Answer

If you hide these things from them when they get older they're gonna be behind all their peers... Technology is so involved in schools now they need to know how to use these things.

Answer

why can't you just limit screen time? it's a lot better than holding them back and treating modern day technology like it's a super bad secret. Outright keeping technology we use nearly every day will do more harm than good. Even a time limit is better than nothing. 
also, ads exist everywhere. good luck shielding your children from them.

is it okay to try to hide things from your kids as long as possible?

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