#ipadtime

Screams Vs Screens

It’s the age old conundrum: Does my child have too much screen time? In my household, the answer is most certainly a resounding “YES”.

Here in Australia, the official guidelines recommend that children should not be exposed to more than two hours ‘screen time’ each day.

I personally envy the parent who is able to achieve this. Unfortunately for our household, the “Big Phone” (ipad) is H2Go’s favourite toy at present. This wasn’t the case a few months ago when she didn’t know it existed however we introduced it on a recent European holiday when we had a 36 hour series of flights and trains to contend with.

Since then, the Big Phone now travels almost everywhere with us. And if perchance it didn’t, we hear, over and over and over again is “Biiiig Phone Pease”, “Biiiiiigggg Phooooone Peeeeaasssee”, “BIIIIIIGGGG PPPHHOOOOOONNNNEEEE PEEEEAAAASE” until we either alight the vehicle or arrive at our destination.

My husband and I try to avoid screen time at all costs however the sheer pain H2Go has the capability of putting us through in the car means that most trips are made with the Big Phone at hand.

Ironically, Twee Weee (TV) doesn’t seem to exist anymore….It’s all about the Big Phone. We manage to avoid its use in the house however it does help avoid all manner of usual discussions when we’re at a restaurant: “No you cant get out of your high chair”, “No they don’t sell pizza here”, “No you don’t want to drink my cocktail” because as long as Eltha (Frozen) or Spissy (Nemo) are on the Big Phone, we can have up to 90 minutes of peace and adult conversation – and she manages to eat, drink and watch, all at the same time.

There was one day when H2Go walked up to the Twee Wee and started to swipe the screen to change the channel, needless to say we hid the Big Phone that weekend and spent most of our time outdoors.

I’ve had to learn not to berate myself for allowing screen time as frankly, its keeps us all sane.

For, when it comes to Screams Vs Screens, the Big Phone often wins.