3 Reasons to Ditch the iPad

I get it. When you need your kid to stop behaving like a wildebeest on stampede (for just. one. second.), iPads seem like a lifesaver. Nothing gets the tiny humans’ attention quite like that glowing screen, and those precious minutes of quiet are sometimes all that stands between you and a nervous breakdown. But what if I told you that the iPad is actually making your job harder? In the short term, it looks like tablets help kids calm down and focus. But in the long term, they might actually be preventing them from developing those skills, especially if your child already has attention or hyperactivity issues.

Weaning a device might be a nightmare at first, but, trust me, the end results are so worth it.

Kids’ Brains ​Need to Get Bored

I know, I know. She’s sitting quietly by herself for the first time all day without asking for juice or telling you she’s bored every five minutes. It really does seem like the iPad is helping her become better at playing independently, better at entertaining herself. In reality, something very different is happening. When kids play on screens, there’s not a lot of actual “play” going on. They aren’t engaging their imagination. They aren’t creating. They aren’t developing problem-solving, social, or fine motor skills— all of which are results of actual play. Instead, the device does most of the play for them.

It may look like your son or daughter is playing, learning, and being creative, but really, they’re just being entertained. Sure, some apps are better than others. But no research has shown any real cognitive benefit to tablet use, even with educational apps. No matter what marketers tell you, creativity, problem-solving, and pretty much every other essential skill are all developed much more effectively through real-world activities. So give yourself a break. You are not a bad mom for refusing to provide entertainment to your child every second of the day. When kids have the chance to get bored, they do amazing things.

They’re Developing Dependence — Not Independence

So if screens don’t engage their brains in the same way that other types of play does, why do they seem so darn focused? Well, their brains ​are engaged, just not in the way you want. The lights, bright colors, and instant gratification of the games appeal to the reward centers of their brains, keeping them coming back for more. I’m trying not to use the word “addiction” lightly, but at times, the brain activity and behavior of kids who are heavy tablet users does look disturbingly like clinical addiction. As a result, they become less able to entertain themselves in other ways. The screens are so highly rewarding that they can make kids lose interest in other types of play. Reading a book, playing with toys, jumping on the trampoline are great, and your kid probably still likes to do them. But those activities don’t light up the reward centers of the brain in quite the same way that screen time does, making them more likely to get bored and lose focus.

They’re Not Sleeping as Well as They Could

You don’t have to be a doctor to know that nothing affects a kid’s behavior more than sleep. Poor sleep impairs cognitive function and ability to regulate emotions and focus on tasks— exactly the ​opposite of what you want. So what does the iPad have to do with sleep? When it’s used sparingly and at the right times, nothing. When it’s overused or used at the wrong times, it can wreak absolute havoc on your child’s circadian rhythms. By now, you’ve probably heard all about the effects of blue light before bed. It tricks our brains into thinking it’s daytime and prevents us from producing melatonin and falling asleep.

So let’s say you already take away the iPad a few hours before bed. Surely, using it during the day won’t mess with your kid’s sleep, right? Turns out, it can—if it’s overused. Our bodies need a few things to keep our internal clocks in check, sunlight and activity being two of the biggest. ​Studies​ have shown that being active and getting sunlight during the day (and especially doing both at the same time) improves the quality of our sleep. A lot of kids develop habits with their tablets that prevent these things from happening the way they should. When they’re iPad-dependent, they spend less time playing outside, missing out on the sunshine and exercise that would help them sleep better and be a more pleasant, more focused tiny human the next day.

We’re all human, and giving your kid an iPad occasionally is no reason for mom-guilt. Especially for things like road trips and plane rides, sometimes you do what you gotta do to survive. But as a daily entertainment tool, the tablet is probably making your life harder than it has to be. The transition can be tough, but the reward is a kid who is better at focusing and finding creative ways to self-entertain. And that, my friends, is something to celebrate.

This post was written by Dr. Dawn. You can read more about her wellness center which is ADHD Wellness Center.