Walk into any restaurant, and chances are, you will immediately see at least one child with their eyes glued to an iPad. In a modern world dominated by technology, children are exposed to media at younger and younger ages, leading to the creation of the “iPad kid” stereotype. Just a few years ago this phrase was meaningless, but today it conjures the vivid image of a young child with grubby hands and a short temper who cannot seem to tear themselves away from their revered tablet. 

Today, technology has become such a dominant force in kids’ lives that many children receive their first cell phone before they graduate from elementary school. The average 8 to 10 year old spends almost eight hours a day on some form of media including television, cell phones, iPads and social media. Other than sleeping, children spend more time with some form of media than they spend on any other activity—including school. 

Only 32.2% of Madison students consider themselves to have been “iPads kids,” but many students still have opinions on the effects that increased technology use in the younger generation will have on our society.  

“I think it’s a constant battle between ‘society is changing so kids should become familiar with technology’ against ‘kids should be more active in their own lives and not immersed in their iPad’,” Lori Collins (’24) said. “Innovation versus tradition. I think most people older than thirteen (including myself) are anti-iPad kid, but many JMHS students were iPad kids, so who knows.” 

In fact, research has shown that excessive technology use by young children can be unhealthy. When kids spend uncontrolled hours on their devices they are missing out on interactions with other children which help them develop important social skills. Additionally, uncontrolled technology use in the formative years of a child’s development can lead to a lower attention span.

“I think parents are increasingly becoming more reliant on technology,” Logan MacNabb (’24) said. 

While iPads may seem like a quick fix for temper tantrums and long wait times, the negative consequences that may soon manifest in our society could outweigh the short term benefits. 

Although unrestricted technology use is harmful for young children, some people believe that in moderation, technology can play a beneficial role in the development of children. With limits and scheduled use-time, technology can be used as an educational aid, and depending on the games played, it could help improve motor skills, visual-spatial development and problem solving skills. It’s all about finding a balance between benefiting from technology without letting it consume a kid’s childhood.