Parenting expert Jo Frost, known as Supernanny, has criticised parents who use iPads as a reward for their children, calling it one of the 'biggest problems' she sees today. In a TikTok video, Frost responded to a mother who said her toddlers play outside all day and then get iPad time as a treat, warning that this practice elevates technology above other activities.
Frost argued that when parents treat screen time as a special reward, children learn to value it more than playing outside, reading, or colouring. 'That is one of the biggest problems today. When you see the iPad as a treat and the one thing that seems the best over all others, your children will see it as that, too. And what should be the best, becomes the boring,' she said.
The parenting guru emphasised that childhood should be filled with curiosity, exploration, and meaningful activities that develop skills like vocabulary, motor coordination, and creativity. She urged parents to make outdoor play and creative pursuits the norm, rather than placing technology on a pedestal.
Frost's comments sparked debate among viewers. Some agreed, with one saying, 'I'm never letting my child have an iPad. Children's TV, yes, but none of the iPad s***.' Another added, 'We REFUSE to give them iPads. No iPad kids in this house.' However, others felt her advice was outdated, with one commenter noting, 'We love Jo Frost, but I can't help feeling her advice is still stuck in the noughties.'
This is not the first time Frost has spoken out against children's use of technology. She has previously called for a ban on social media for under-16s, describing big tech as a 'public health crisis' that robs children of their childhood. 'We must protect childhood,' she said, warning that children are being placed in digital arenas before their identities have formed.
