Underneath the meme lies a societal concern that needs to garner more attention.
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It seems that the more our societal dependence on digital technology grows, the less children touch grass—or anything without a screen, for that matter. Parks, where kids used to play tag and make-believe, are now occupied mainly by dandelions and distant memories. Restaurant colouring books have become a neglected pile at the host stand. Socializing is now more of a visual task than a verbal one.
So many aspects of childhood, and life in general, have been replaced by an 8x11 LED rectangle; thus, the social media phenomenon commonly referred to as "iPad Kids" was born.
We've all seen them. The snot-nosed, mouth-agape child hypnotized by a personal-sized screen. With the term originating on TikTok, iPad Kids are notorious for being glued to their devices and throwing tantrums if they are taken away.
The birth of this phenomenon has been made possible by the modern-day access kids have to digital technology. According to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey, 48% of parents of children under 5 say their child uses or interacts with a tablet computer, growing to 80% for parents of children aged 5 to 11. 71% of these parent respondents say they are at least somewhat concerned about excessive usage.
As a term, an 'iPad Kid' typically has a negative connotation since technology use amongst children is quite a controversial topic.
As a meme, on the other hand, iPad Kids have become the laughingstock of the internet, with videos of them in action circulating on essentially every popular social media platform. Some of these videos have gone completely viral; @the_mannii, for example, posted one that generated seven million views.
Among the 'LOLs' in the comment section of these videos is a ton of criticism from users who blame parents for raising their children to be digital addicts. The lack of societal acceptability of children interacting with technology on a frequent basis likely stems from screen-time guidelines that oppose that notion.
For instance, the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) recommends that children younger than two years of age have zero screen exposure, while preschool-age children should be limited to one hour or less a day. However, only 15 percent of Canadian children aged three to four actually meet these guidelines. OSF HealthCare indicates that recommended time limits for 5-17-year-olds only increase by an hour from those of preschool-age children.
While iPad Kids might be viewed in a less-than-favourable light, digital technology can be seen as a powerful ally in children's development through encouraging socialization, creativity and digital literacy.
Dr. Joel "Gator" Warsh, owner and founder of Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City, says there are things that can be gained from an educational perspective online, it's just important for parents to put boundaries in place. "I don't think screens are inherently bad," says Warsh. I just think we're on them way too much." Studies show that excessive time in front of a screen is linked with worse executive functioning, sensorimotor development, and academic performance.
On another note, screen time is often associated with sedentary behaviour, which Warsh highlights as a critical problem. "My biggest concern as a Pediatrician, even as a dad, is what the kids are not doing," he says. If we're on the iPad too much, then we're not outside, active, or necessarily engaging with our family or friends."
iStockTim Estes, founder and CEO of Angel AI, touches on the strong correlations between the amount of time kids spend online and their mental health at the highest level, particularly things like depression and self-harm.
"When you see things that are really toxic on the extremes going up, correlated to the amount of time kids are spending on these applications with social media being the primary culprit ... then it's going to have something that impacts their self-image," says Estes.
Managing your child's screen time in such a technologically dependent world is crucial for their hitting developmental milestones. Estes says that parents are both responsible and critical drivers of what happens with their kids.
Setting healthy boundaries and creating a balanced approach to screen time is easier said than done, but we have some recommendations to help parents achieve that.
Warsh says that rules as simple as no devices at the dinner table, in the bedroom—especially right before bedtime—and first thing in the morning can be productive measures to regulate screen time for kids. He also advises parents to prolong permitting their children's use of social media for as long as possible.
Following guidelines from the CPS and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)—whose advisories pretty much run parallel to those of the CPS—may be ideal for a child's cognitive, social, and physical development, but it is not always realistic.
Warsh says that parents shouldn't be worried if their kids are watching a screen for a short period of time. "I don't think that's going to turn their brain to mush," he says, "but I do think if they're sitting in front of it for hours, that's where you really run into a concern."
Setting boundaries for screen time can help protect your children. "We put boundaries on everything else that we have concerns around," says Warsh. Smoking, drinking, and driving, screen time is another one of those things.
Estes emphasizes the importance of parents investing time in what he calls "social IQ" for kids, away from technology. "We have to get back and do the work to create shared spaces and safe places for kids to be involved with each other, physically and embodied," he says.
Healthy technology use requires balancing screen time with real-world, tangible activities. For parents who are struggling to find appealing alternatives to screen time for their kids, we've created a list that might help.
iStockActivities that can help build your child's social skillset include: board games, puzzles, and charades.
Sensory stimulation for your child can be achieved by playing with objects like: DIY slime and kinetic sand.
Allow your child to tap into their creative mind with: various arts and crafts or building a Lego set.
Get your little one up and moving with active games such as: freeze dance, hallway soccer, and balloon volleyball.
Make touching grass sound appealing to your kid with activities like: lawn bowling and yard pong.
Digital technology has irrevocably impacted society, making it inevitable that children will be exposed to it at some point. What's important now is that parents introduce devices to children alongside boundaries for their usage, so these technologies are automatically associated with the rules that help ensure their development stays on track.
We expect technology to continue to advance rapidly, meaning a child's exposure to it may happen earlier as dependence grows; this exacerbates an existing issue for children - online safety. According to the United Nations, about 80% of children in 25 countries report feeling in danger of sexual abuse or exploitation online. Combatting this issue is not a one-step procedure but an everlasting process.
Estes discusses how his company contributes to this process as they essentially replace the browser for children with AI, translating content on the fly to them and blocking inappropriate material from their reach. "We need more companies that are driven by the wellness of children," says Estes. He adds that his company is only a part of a set of things that need to happen. "The solution is bigger than us," he says, "a solution requires regulation."
A big step in the right direction regulation-wise was made on July 30th, 2024, when the Kids Online Safety Act passed the Senate. This act mandates platforms to have measures in place that mitigate certain harms that could arise from a child's use of them (e.g., sexual exploitation and harassment).
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Grace is a master of journalism student at Toronto Metropolitan University. She specializes in writing on information and communication technologies but is passionate about exploring topics related to nutrition, holistic health and global social issues. Born and raised in the GTA, Grace loves spending time outdoors, in the gym, reading or with friends.