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Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

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Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#4
The part I struggle with is, how do I let my kids program and be creative on the computer without being online when daddy can’t program without an internet connection?

How will they develop “street smarts” about being on social media without a social media account?

How do I let them have the same positive experiences I had playing games without having the deeply negative ones too (I lost that breastplate that took weeks of grinding to get because the Bloodwood forest swallowed my corpse).

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#5
I don’t think we should look at these people as the paragon of parenting. It’s easy to imagine that every decision they made is some blessed path, but that’s just a halo effect.

It’s easy to engage in some magical thinking about Jobs or Gates as if they know something distantly ominous about screens that told them to ban their kids from them, that they kept secret from the public in order to sell the screens. I don’t think so.

I think it’s pretty obvious that “too much screen time is bad” for kids, but it’s not that simple either.

As a parent, I struggle to find the right balance for my kids, but I also don’t think it’s some weird sinister plot to ruin humanity, and I’m just a sheep for letting my kids veg out on YouTube and Minecraft on the weekends.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#6

The part I struggle with is, how do I let my kids program and be creative on the computer without being online when daddy can’t program without an internet connection? How will they develop “street smarts” about being on social media without a social media account? How do I let them have the same positive experiences I had playing games without having the deeply negative ones too (I lost that breastplate that took we…

Get them an Amiga? Or maybe load up a laptop with EndlessOS?

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#8

The part I struggle with is, how do I let my kids program and be creative on the computer without being online when daddy can’t program without an internet connection? How will they develop “street smarts” about being on social media without a social media account? How do I let them have the same positive experiences I had playing games without having the deeply negative ones too (I lost that breastplate that took we…

Two things:

1. Set the example and model positive behavior. - Stop using social media. If they see you doom scrolling they are going to doom scroll. - Stop playing mmo or games that require subscriptions or have egregious monetization. -I'm sure you have other skill you can teach them that don't require an internet connection, and if you don't, you can show them how to use the internet for educational purposes instead of watching idiots on social media.

2. Monitor and correct. Your kids are going want the same apps their friends have. Monitor their usage so you can help them get the street smarts. A lot of the apps have privacy settings so you will need to get familiar with them. iOS and android both have tools to limit the amount of time they can use the app for as well.

Unfortunately this takes a lot of time and effort on your part. Try your best and good luck.

Re: Jobs and Gates banned their kids from iPads and other devices they created

#10

The part I struggle with is, how do I let my kids program and be creative on the computer without being online when daddy can’t program without an internet connection? How will they develop “street smarts” about being on social media without a social media account? How do I let them have the same positive experiences I had playing games without having the deeply negative ones too (I lost that breastplate that took we…

Anyone can program without an internet connection. You just need the local documentation.
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