I’m starting to feel like a miserable git now for saying it shouldn’t happen.

My daughters Grandfather has bought her an iPad Air for Xmas and I’m a bit annoyed with it. I don’t really know much about iPad’s and stuff (I’m not really interested) but from what I can gather the air is a gucci bit of kit and in my opinion shouldn’t be issued to 7 year old.

I’ve spoken to the Ex about it and she kind of agrees with me but not said anything, probably because she gets to use it when daughters not about.

last Xmas I bought the little un a children’s Nabi tablet which is ideal for what she needs, that will be redundant now.

It’s not an issue of presents top trumps, I just don’t agree with a 7 y old having such an expensive bit of kit.

Grandfather’s probably got a guilty conscience for ditching gran earlier i the year. It’s one way to get granddaughter to like you again.

It’s going to happen because he’s bought it but should I just ditch my concerns and go with it? Am I right in thinking it’s too much for a kid? Everyone I have mentioned it to seems to think down the same lines as me.

I agree with you that it’s too much, however; what can you actually do about it? I would just go with it but ensure it’s locked down properly so they don’t end up treading somewhere they are not meant to be on the internet 🙂

Look on the positive side. You can buy a decent case and screen protector and it will be pretty resilient to damage so should last a good few years of use.

And you can also make use of it without spending any money 🙂

They cost upwards of £500 don’t they?. It does seem a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a 7 year old, or any child at Christmas for that matter. Awkward situation though.

There’s not a lot I can do about it but I have voiced my concerns. I think I’m going to need a dad’s lesson in iPad!

The Ex pointed out to me that I was going to spend £600 on a new Islabike, what’s the difference? The bike get’s her out, fresh air, healthy, fit and she enjoys it, you don’t get any of that on the sofa staring into a tablet.

The Ex pointed out to me that I was going to spend £600 on a new Islabike, what’s the difference? The bike get’s her out, fresh air, healthy, fit and she enjoys it, you don’t get any of that on the sofa staring into a tablet.

would you expect her to ride the bike 24/7?

Yes it’s a wedge of money to spend on a 7yr old. It’s not your money so not much else you can do about it really, what’s bought is bought. Do you really want to be the bad guy in this?

Embrace it get an iPad then you can FaceTime each other great way to keep in touch when apart.

Agreed. Get over it and enjoy using it when your girl is out enjoying her Islabike 🙂

Nah, wouldn’t want to be the bad guy, I wouldn’t stop it happening either. I wont be buying one.

Not buying the Islabike now. Upgraded her current Islabike with newer components, will easily get another 18 months out of this current one with the new bits.

on the positive side – our somewhat aged iPad v1 is v.handy for my two girls (7 and 8 years old). As well as listening to music and watching films on it they use it for schoolwork – our youngest is really into her dinosaurs and the oldest her astronomy and it’s helped fuel that interest with various apps etc.

The only advice is that, as with any other computer etc, it’d worth locking it down to the nth degree. Ours have no safari, no app installs or deletions, no in-app purchases, no youtube etc. Their use is also monitored with limits as to how much they’re allowed on it and they’re not allowed to take it up into their rooms etc.

leaving aside the money / bribery aspects etc it doesn’t have to be anything other than a positive.

I’m sat here on my 4yr old iPad1 and they’re fantastic. Bit jealous of a 7yr old having an Air to be honest and it’s a very Gucci present agreed. But its done now. Reality is they will probably break it accidentally. I suppose at that point in time you can discuss looking after valuable things as they cannot be replaced.

In the meantime try and research some “educational” type apps, drawing ones for example. They are great for films etc in the car, i imagine via bbc iplayer app you can download CBBC and watch it offline. Try and keep the number of games to a minimum and do not give the little one the AppleId / iTunes store password or they will be buying games and worse in game purchases. I suppose like TV you should limit the amount of time per day once the Christmas period is over.

My girls didn’t get a portable tv in their bedroom until they were 10 and no laptops till mid teens. Times change.
Lucky girl

I just see other parents using them as a ‘shut the kids up and get them out of their hair’ device, just too easy to chin kids off by throwing an iPad at them.

Could be a positive thing if there are plenty of educational apps available.

Woffle, My daughters into her dinosaurs and astronomy so another positive I suppose.

Woffle, My daughters into her dinosaurs and astronomy so another positive I suppose.

If you want I can dig out the app names – there’s an interactive Dinosaur encyclopedia thing and a night-sky / interactive star map are the two that spring to mind from the off.

Believe me, if your daughter is anything like mine, there’s not an iPad / bike / toy / anything that’ll keep them quiet for more than 2 minutes 🙂

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Both my iPad 1 & 2 have suitable covers and my 5yr & 7yr old kids use them without issue. Might be expensive but it’s not your cash and assuming your kid is responsible it’ll be fine. Bet your telly cost more than that and it gets a ton of use…

By the time you’ve downloaded Starwalk and taken her into the park to look up at sky together that night, all will be forgiven 🙂

Lots of us work in IT because we had computers at a young age.

Ipads are an educational head start. My nieces had them from 3.

Keep it for yourself until she’s 15.
She had a tablet.

If you want I can dig out the app names – there’s an interactive Dinosaur encyclopedia thing and a night-sky / interactive star map are the two that spring to mind from the off.

That would be spot on, thanks.

It’s certainly an extravagant gift for seven year old but then that is up to the person giving the gift and if he wants to spend his money on his granddaughter i think you should be gracious and let him have that pleasure. Ultimately she’s just getting a better version of what she’s already got so I wouldn’t be all that bothered.

Wether it’s an Islabike or not, i think spending £600 on a bike for a 7 yr old is just as daft tbh!

It’s a touch early maybe, but only by a year or so I’d say (my 9 yr old got one for her birthday this year)

My only advice is that make sure you (or your ex) control the email acc it’s linked to, and they understand the risks associated with Internet, online games (not talking about the £££ for extra levels) etc. They cover it at school, but you want to go over it again, especially at 7.

Lots of us work in IT because we had computers at a young age.

Yeah, but you had to be a bit more technically creative with a ZX-80 than an iPad. That said, it’ll be teaching them other skills that are probably going to be more important than POKEing code into screen memory & repairing RAM packs .. it’s like people complaining why ICT lessons don’t teach kids how to type.

Whilst I more or less agree with the OP, I think this might be a case to keep one opinions to oneself else appear ungrateful, churlish or attempting to score some sort of parenting points. But as mentioned, could be a great way to keep in touch.

Very extravagant and too much for a 7 year old IMO, but each to their own. Personally I’m dreading the day ours ask for something like this and would be VERY happy if one of the grandparents bought it instead!

Correction, YOU now have an iPad Air, your daughter can have a 2nd hand iPad Retina (from all the must-have-the-latest upgraders). When in a protective case and screen protector noone will know better.

Unless the Air is that much smaller/lighter…

Agreed it’s extravagant and unnecessary though!

Embrace it. Mine essentially took mine at two tears old. Had to wean her off on occasions when it got too much (when she would not voluntarily say good night iPad when bed time came around) but now at three years old it is one part of what she does, along with playing outside, talking to teddies, chasing the cat, helping me cook etc. With some supervision, if has been a fantastic learning device, especially as a two language child learning English and Danish simultaneously.

If they can afford it and want to buy her one what’s the issue?

A 7 year old will get a lot of use out of an iPad mine certainly does and has down since she was 5.

To keep me quiet, my folks stuck me in a corner with a book. Telly was black and white, and had two channels, we had little money, so books were the only luxury, and treasured. Your lass has, effectively, a library in her hands with hundreds of books, many of them classics, and a great many free. There are also fantastic drawing/painting apps, like Paper, which she can play with to her hearts content, never needing to worry about spilling paints, or spoiling a nearly finished drawing, as they can be edited, then printed off, emailed to family, she can create her own greetings cards…
You’re looking only at a few negatives, partly influenced by your own attitude:

My daughters Grandfather has bought her an iPad Air for Xmas and I’m a bit annoyed with it. I don’t really know much about iPad’s and stuff (I’m not really interested)

It doesn’t have to stay indoors, there are apps for identifying trees, flowers, birds; bloody hell, the options are only limited by imagination!
Get interested with her, and learn stuff together, they’re a piece of piss to use, if a friend’s seventy-plus mother can happily embrace an iPhone, what’s stopping you?

Very well said indeed, CountZero.

Get interested with her, and learn stuff together,

Well said that man, especially ^^ that bit.

Ipads are great for kids. So many design and creative apps available.
Just have some say on whats installed and make sure that only useful things go on there….no facebook or other innapropriate stuff.

iPads can be a great educational bit of kit, just watch what they are using it for and restrict when and how long they can use it for, my 7 yr old use mine under supervision for no more than an hour every other day

[rant time]
My brother in law bought one for his 8 year old because the spoilt kid ‘thought his *new* 3DS was rubbish’. (got the 3DS for Christmas last year, got the iPad for his birthday in spring).

So, despite there already being an iPad in the home, he bought him another!

Now said spoilt kid wants an iPhone for Christmas and the brother in law is complaining! What did he expect, bringing a child up like that?
[/rant time]