It breaks my heart...

[Dian Skellington]

I think I know what you mean.
I could understand if the parent had an iPad and downloaded a children's game and let their 7-year-old play it sometimes, but..
Small children do NOT need smartphones, they do NOT need iPads of their own. Not even a cell phone except, like someone else on here said, one of those kiddie phones.
I'm not letting my child get a cell phone until they're at least 13.
And they'll only be using the computer with supervision and parental controls.
There were things I saw on the internet when I was younger (like, 11) that I really shouldn't have, and to be honest, (although I won't go into details) I think a lot of it screwed me up a bit.
Video games are a little different, as long as it's not like GTA at age 5! And they won't be playing on xBox Live or anything until they're older.

I guess that's just me, but from the things that happened to me, I guess that's what makes me more protective about children and the internet/smartphones/etc.


...Sorry for the ranty post. sweatdrop

[DontDateYourBestfriend]

Its unbelievable my friends brother is 3 and he has and IPad2 >.<

[Podrido Pimienta]

Super 9-Volt

I'm not bothered by that at all. iPads and stuff still have games on them that they can play. People play with toys differently, some prefer to make their dolls talk with a push of a button while some prefer to provide the voice themselves. Also remember that talking toys aren't a new thing that just came out. Before buttons, they came with pull strings. Also the ones that have some internet connection to it don't ruin the purpose of toys either. Again, it's just another way to play them.

(I'm probably the only one who would willingly give their kid a phone when they start kindergarten and stuff.)

True this,I suppose. I won't yell for having a different opinion. It just feels like the times have gone by just a little too fast for my elderly tastes.

[Super 9-Volt]

I'm not bothered by that at all. iPads and stuff still have games on them that they can play. People play with toys differently, some prefer to make their dolls talk with a push of a button while some prefer to provide the voice themselves. Also remember that talking toys aren't a new thing that just came out. Before buttons, they came with pull strings. Also the ones that have some internet connection to it don't ruin the purpose of toys either. Again, it's just another way to play them.

(I'm probably the only one who would willingly give their kid a phone when they start kindergarten and stuff.)

[Infinity Rabbit]

What a 7 year old would do with an iPad is beyond me. Apart from Angry Birds.
I think one thing to do in that situation is to conjure up a picture of an adult standing next to an awesome, hugely-detailed LEGO battleship or something.

[A.I.Project]

I know how you feel. In my day, I played with board games, giga pets, stuffed animals, action figures, and toys that encouraged kids to play outside. Of course, I did play quite a few video games but I didn't really play them that much.

These days, all I ever see kids wanting are video games, iPads, and Smart Phones. I still can't get used to seeing kids playing with all these expensive smart phones and iPads. I did perfectly fine without a cell phone for 16 years. I got one when I was about 15 but didn't use it much until I was 16. When I have kids, I won't be allowing any of them to own expensive items until they're at least 15 because most kids are notorious for not taking care of their things.

[Crack_A_Bottle14]

...nice

[tasgal_lorraine]

My niece has a display model cell phone that we found in our new house. It's kind of annoying how she plays with it. Even her mother is constantly yelling at her to stop playing with it; I can't imagine how she'd use a real one.

Anyway, I try to encourage her to play with other things, like dolls and stuffed animals. I'm even trying to discourage her playing video games until she's a bit older (like at least eight). But it's hard with the amount of technology my family and I use in our daily lives. It's also getting increasingly difficult with the amount of technology that is linked with basic toys like dolls and stuffed animals. >.<

[Lolliepawp]

My 9 year old cousin talks about call of duty and damn nazi zombies. Hes setting himsefl up for failure :/ apparently things like lego and pokemon are "uncool" for him because all his classmates think so.

[stephkorrin]

Yeah, it is sad. I'm sure in a few years we'll discover the effects of this behavior.

[GunSstray]

Capitalism, Ho! Just be glad those online connection are keeping your favorite toy company afloat. Though I partially agree that young'ns shouldn't have a hold of technology at a a young age. It easily gets them too addicted, and might in the future, have difficulty socializing with people.

[Ni-Ni-kun]

I personally think it's cool. It doesn't mean that they're not into toys.
Kids are are into toys as us. They're just smarter. Built in memory.
Think of it as them being smarter. If there are rules set for computer use
I don't think there's a problem. Then I was a kid who used a computer at age 3 myself
(maybe I don't find it so weird), and I loved my barbies to death still. In the past it used to be TV it just changed to a more portable thing. I actually thought it was impressive rather than sad o .o?

Maybe I think differently. Some grownups don't even know how to use technology o-o;
I guess as long as the technology doesn't replace toys and other activities :3 <3
No worries right?

[Erailea]

you won't get thrown in the CB. Mods rarely deal with threads that ARE pure spam in here, never mind misplaced (not that this is since you are talking about toys)

If I had a kid they wouldn't have a phone until they were a teen, at the earliest. I didn't get one until I was 16 and did rather well that way. Either that or one of those really kiddy phone, meant so you can call them and them you (and one or two other people in case of emergencies) and that's about it.

Why does a 7 year old need an i-phone :/ Things like that are the reason kids are stupid these days. Education in America is failing -__- Sure, some kids excel, but in general our education is slipping and kids are getting more and more rude every year (I know people who have been teaching for *years* and they complain horrifically about it)

[XFateX]

I know how you feel. I was happy to hear my niece actually asked for Monster high dolls this year. I know they can still have some sort of connection to the computer
BUT
Normally it's "laptop, cell phone, ipod." only.
She's 7.
It makes me sad x.x

[Podrido Pimienta]

To see that in all the new commercials and stuff,kids aren't shown just playing with normal dolls or anything like that,no no. They're shown huddled up against iPads and computers! Any new kind of toy has an internet world attached to it,which almost ruins the purpose of the toy itself!
Whatever happened to when we made our animal dolls talk without having to push a button? It makes me feel so old to see 5 year olds clinging to their touchscreen phones when they should be playing! Am I the only one who feels this way or are my nostalgia goggles on a little too tight..? Watch me get thrown to the CB for this one