Survey Says Most Parents Give Electronic Devices to Kids Under 4

How old do your kids need to be before you hand over the tablet? According to a small survey, most parents say there's really no minimum age.

Tablets and smartphones are God's gift to parents. How many times have you had to resort to handing over the tablet, or the phone, to keep your child busy for a few minutes?

According to this study from the New York Times, 3/4 of parents say they give their kids such electronic devices by the age of four.

I should point out that this is a small self survey of parents in Philadelphia, so it may not represent the entire country. Small or large, I think this survey still gives us a rough idea of how favorably parents look toward technology.

What about the experts though? Do they think this is healthy?

The American Academy of Pediatrics tells the New York Times they recommend children under 2 be exposed to electronic screens on a very limited basis. In other words, they don't really advocate for total screen abstinence, but they suggest plenty of unplugged playtime.

After reading some of the other expert suggestions, it seems allowing kids screen time to learn is very much beneficial, but they suggest limiting entertainment.

You can read the entire story here.