Kids & their electronics - did you bring or leave at home?

[MikeMSD]

I miss the days when people cared more about eating good food than taking pictures of it.

 

 

You do realize that those two things are not mutually exclusive right? It takes less than 10 seconds to snap a picture of something. Sometimes something is just so well presented that you want to share it with others or to remember it later.

 

I'm guessing you also comment when people take pictures on excursions, because you miss the good old days before cameras when people cared more about their family than taking pictures of them.

 

 

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[CruisinCrow]

I miss the days when people cared more about eating good food than taking pictures of it.

 

Can't we do both? :)

[Organized Chaos]

You do realize that those two things are not mutually exclusive right? It takes less than 10 seconds to snap a picture of something. Sometimes something is just so well presented that you want to share it with others or to remember it later.

 

I'm guessing you also comment when people take pictures on excursions, because you miss the good old days before cameras when people cared more about their family than taking pictures of them.

 

 

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You do realize that a vast majority of people didn't care about taking pictures of their food until social media became prevalent, right? That's when these people began to think that everyone else cares what their meal looks like. And are you seriously trying to compare taking photos on an excursion to taking photos of a meal? You know as well as I do they are two completely different things, but whatever you need to say to make yourself feel good.

[Bosrox]

People are so judgmental, every child is different. Some can sit for over an hour for dinner and some (like mine) cannot. Don't put others down for doing what works for them. I'm sure if my daughter wasn't on her tablet and was noisy/disruptive people wouldn't enjoy that either.

 

 

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So how would you get her to sit and eat dinner if tablets didn't exist? You are teaching her habits that will be hard to break. Of course she won't sit quietly and eat supper without a tablet, you've taught her she doesn't have to.

[joeyancho]

All the technology turns the brain to mush. Leave it home.

[Mobe]

Love this. But how will you entertain your kids while you need them to be quiet and behave? ;);p

 

They may have to *GASP* entertain themselves!

[BNBR]

You do realize that a vast majority of people didn't care about taking pictures of their food until social media became prevalent, right? That's when these people began to think that everyone else cares what their meal looks like. And are you seriously trying to compare taking photos on an excursion to taking photos of a meal? You know as well as I do they are two completely different things, but whatever you need to say to make yourself feel good.

 

Not just social media, but the Yelp Elite schmucks who take 35 (terrible) pictures of the food, inside and outside the establishment, and spend the entire dinner thinking about nothing other than overly critiquing and writing reviews about their experience. I could never understand how these people function.... then again, they are generally not the type of people I want to be around anyways.

[BNBR]

All the technology turns the brain to mush. Leave it home.

 

I think it's actually the exact opposite. It's highly beneficial for kids to be well versed on technology as they grow up. I never understood the whole "no electronics" nonsense. If the kid enjoys using it from time to time, and this actually becomes a point of contention "No, you WILL leave it at home!" - I can assure you that the most pronounced memories that child will have of the "amazing family vacation" will be that mom was mean, for no apparent reason other than mom is old and out of touch.

[MikeMSD]

You do realize that a vast majority of people didn't care about taking pictures of their food until social media became prevalent, right? That's when these people began to think that everyone else cares what their meal looks like. And are you seriously trying to compare taking photos on an excursion to taking photos of a meal? You know as well as I do they are two completely different things, but whatever you need to say to make yourself feel good.

 

So what, how does someone taking a picture of their food hurt you? Yes, I am equating pictures, you're just choosing not to view it similarly. It's not like I sit and take a photo of every single item I get, but if I see something plated really cool or that looks amazing, I'll snap a photo. I may or may not share it on social media, probably not as I don't post very much. However, I will save it in my vacation album. Why? Because it's a memory from my trip.

 

If I were to lean over your plate and take a photo, then maybe you have a right to complain. However, I paid for my vacation too. If I'm not impacting you in any way, I get to spend it how I want. I don't need the fun police stopping by to tell me that I'm not allowed to capture the memories I want because I shouldn't be taking a photo of my food.

[amyjoy202697]

So how would you get her to sit and eat dinner if tablets didn't exist? You are teaching her habits that will be hard to break. Of course she won't sit quietly and eat supper without a tablet, you've taught her she doesn't have to.

 

 

1) they do exist

2) she doesn't sit at dinner at home on a tablet because our dinners are not over an hour, not that I have to justify that to you

3) you do not know my child so do not judge... which was the whole point of my original post

 

Please keep your negative comments to yourself

 

 

 

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[Ajat0921]

I have an Autistic kid, so that 3DS is coming with us, or I don't think anyone 10 cabins on all sides of us will be able to sleep or think. An epic meltdown would happen. Hell it happens if the thing isn't charged. and I honestly don't care what other parents think, if it makes him happy, and keeps him from running away or having a meltdown, he can have it.

[Thorncroft]

Yes, by all means, bring the electronics and leave the kids at home.

[torcruise]

So how would you get her to sit and eat dinner if tablets didn't exist? You are teaching her habits that will be hard to break. Of course she won't sit quietly and eat supper without a tablet, you've taught her she doesn't have to.

 

Used to use toys and coloring books, a tablet is just an electronic toy/book/ coloring book

[Wooshers]

I bring my tablet and will play solitaire during or while waiting for trivia and/or other activities. They're useful things to have around during downtime and tbh I've seen vast empty ocean plenty during the trip so I don't think I'm missing much visually. Never really thought to use mine at dinner.

 

I have Android tablets though and all under $200 in value. Bringing an iPad might be a rougher investment should you lose it or it gets stolen. If you wouldn't feel bad if it was gone then I'd say bring it. You don't have to let them use it but it'll be good to have during the down time.

[torcruise]

All the technology turns the brain to mush. Leave it home.

 

Technology is the future, children today are way smarter and tech savy then in the past. I literally had to ask my 6 year old how to project what I was watching on my tablet to the tv, and she came right over and showed me how to do it! No mushy brains over here!

[Organized Chaos]

Technology is the future, children today are way smarter and tech savy then in the past. I literally had to ask my 6 year old how to project what I was watching on my tablet to the tv, and she came right over and showed me how to do it! No mushy brains over here!

I wouldn't say children today are "way smarter" just because they're more tech savvy. Kids are typically more tech savvy than their elder generations when it comes to modern tech during that time period. I was great at video games on our Atari 2600...my parents weren't. When VCR's were the latest and greatest tech, I had no problems with them as a kid. My mom always needed me to operate it for her. Same concept over time, just different tech now.

[IntrepidFromDC]

I always encourage, and never hold back on, my kid's desire to embrace technology. I will never know for sure that it's the right decision because I'll be long gone before analytics can be developed, but I'm not doing anything to hold my kid back from The Terminator.

[A&Jfamily]

My kids have their electronic devices for travel purposes. Phones go into airplane mode once on ship - but of course that still has gaming ability. There is so much to do on the ship they only use them in down time in their room. We find we don't really need to regulate their use when traveling because the cruise is so much fun.

 

 

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[Thorncroft]

Technology is the future, children today are way smarter and tech savy then in the past. I literally had to ask my 6 year old how to project what I was watching on my tablet to the tv, and she came right over and showed me how to do it! No mushy brains over here!

 

Tech savvy does not equal way smarter. Einstein and Oppenheimer didn't have iPads, but they did pretty well for themselves.

 

Mushy brains refers to being screen zombies, not intelligence.

[siggyg]

A favor from another cruiser to ask is if anyone does choose to let their children use electronics in the MDR, please bring headphones. Last cruise I had to listen to Spongebob every night during dinner in the MDR because they would let their child watch it at max volume on their tablet throughout dinner. I did my best to tune it out, but it definitely took away from my experience. I didn't complain because choosing between a child being fussy and crying vs listening to Spongebob, I'll take the latter. But just be kind to the people around and bring those headphones.

 

Our kids (both under 6) only tablet time on the ship was in the MDR after they were done with their main course. They could watch a downloaded movie during their dessert with their headphones on. We did have coloring/activity books with us any other time we thought they would get fussy or bored. Otherwise tablets stayed in the safe in the room.

[amyjoy202697]

I have an Autistic kid, so that 3DS is coming with us, or I don't think anyone 10 cabins on all sides of us will be able to sleep or think. An epic meltdown would happen. Hell it happens if the thing isn't charged. and I honestly don't care what other parents think, if it makes him happy, and keeps him from running away or having a meltdown, he can have it.

 

 

This is exactly why people shouldn't judge others... they have NO CLUE about the child. Mine has ADHD and long dinners are tough for her to sit still and not disturb others. The tablet helps...

 

 

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[terri-eddie]

Your children, your rules! I let my teenage daughter bring her ipod, mainly because we fly to our cruises and it's a long day both ways. She also uses it in the cabin in the evening before bed. She knows not to use it when we're together, like in the MDR. That's social time!