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Raising my son
Animalloverb
Community Connector Posts: 771 Part of The Mix Family
I am raising my son in a way that society today calls 'strict'.
I am raising my son away from electronics, him having medical issues and slight developmental delays is difficult but also I don't want my son to be reliant on devices, kids that young shouldn't need screens in my personal opinion, obviously he does watch the Cars movie, he watched him in hospital, but he doesn't necessarily sit and just watch it, it plays in the background while he plays, he only really watches things when he is really sleepy after medical episodes. I do limit it but he is a happy child without screens, I probably will avoid introducing them for the longest time.
I want my son to experience life, have an imagination and just be a kid. But it's hard to do that when society see it as strict for not allowing electronics. He is only 2 so he doesn't need them but as he gets older I still won't give him a device, I may eventually give him a basic phone just to call people when he is older and goes out with friends without me but thats a long time away yet.
I just want to do things in a way that feels right to me.
Comments
You have to do what is right for you and your son. For what it's worth I completely, 100% agree that children that young do not need devices. I hate to see young kids glued to tablets or phones, and I was shocked when I found out my niece had Tiktok when she was about 8.
To be fair, I had a phone aged 10, but my parents had their reasons for that. I didn't need it any earlier
Hi @Animalloverb, thank you for sharing with us. As @independent_ says, you're doing what you feel is right for your son, and if you feel like limiting screen time helps that then you should go for it. Out of interest, why do you think some people consider this approach strict? We're here to listen to you.
@Azziman
I feel people consider it strict as screens are so normalised now, pretty much every child has access to one, parents just seem to put there children infront of screens when they need to do something. They say I should allow my child to watch shows and have an ipad but realistically that's not the way I want to raise my son, he will benefit so much more in the future from not having access to screens. I see so much difference in my child to the ones who have access to screens. And plus my child has developmental delays, not extreme but they are still noticeable, he is in speech therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. People try saying to me that allowing him to watch shows will improve his speech, maybe that may be for some, but for us I would rather not have him watch shows. He is a happy kid, he loves to play with toys when he has the energy, he loves being outside in the garden, he doesn't bother about watching things anyways, even with the Cars movie on he only listens to it. I don't feel that it is strict, I feel it is appropriate parenting. My son was told he would never be able to walk, but he took his first steps not long ago, so yeah he is 2 and only recently took his first steps but it's an amazing achievement and if he was sat at a screen, watching shows he wouldn't of made that progress and prove professionals wrong.
There are children that are so young sat indoors playing video games, or young children wanting makeup and everything, asking for an Xbox, PlayStation, the latest games, I don't want my son to want any of that at a young age. He is clearly happy and enjoying his life without any devices but people say he will grow up and hate me for not allowing him to have a device so young.
@Animalloverb, you are doing a brilliant job raising your son, I know it has not been at all easy and straightforward, but you are doing an amazing job. As you said, you have the right to raise him how you wish, and that involves limiting screen time which is completely okay! Echoing what @independent_ and @Azziman said above, you shouldn't have to worry about that at all. It sounds like giving him the space to play and be active has helped him to take his first steps when he was told he would never walk, and he's happy without screens which is the most important. Would you agree?
Yeah I agree @Callum
I am a young parent so I feel like I need to be perfect to prove I'm a good parent but I want to parent my way, do what I think is best and what will work for me and my son.