Parenting expert Jo Frost has warned that describing iPads and tablets as a 'treat' can make children value screen time above other activities, and has shared the language change parents can make to prevent this.
Frost's warning about 'treat' language
In a TikTok video, Frost responded to a mother who said her toddlers play outside and get dirty, and then come inside and 'really relax' with iPads as a treat. Frost said this way of thinking was part of the problem, arguing that presenting tablets as a treat could make children value screen time above other activities.
Frost said: "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the biggest problems today. Because when you see the iPad as a treat, the golden shrine, the one thing that seems like the best overall, your children will see it as that too. And what should be the best becomes the boring."
Why outside play should be the norm
Frost, who began her career in 1987, said that for children, being outside should be normal, as should playing games like Hungry Hippo, colouring, and reading animated stories. "And all of that is the treat, the specialness of childhood," she added.
She urged parents not to put technology on a pedestal at the expense of other experiences that help children learn and develop, such as learning new words, developing motor skills, widening creativity, sharing with others, and building attention and focus.
'A tool, not a treat'
In a final message, Frost said: "So remember the next time you label tech as a treat, because it's not. A tool for some and a time waster for many, and a digital dummy for your kids to keep them pacified instead of satisfied with the life they could be having as normal. Remember this message."
