Parenting styles have changed drastically within the past decade. It is the social norm to give your crying child a phone or tablet to keep them quiet and content. Not only are you avoiding traditional parenting styles, but you are also hindering the child's long-term cognitive ability and development.
To current mothers out there now: do you partake in this social norm? What would you do if you didn't have the technology to give your screaming child in a public place?
These questions are difficult, and by no means am I dissing parents who use the modern parenting style, but there may be a simpler way! I am 100% sure that all parents want their children to be the smartest they can be as they grow up. I am also 100% sure that they want their children to be able to succeed in decision-making and being independent.
It is a quick fix for a child to stop their tantrum in public, but if this becomes a habit as a parent, it will take a toll on your child's development. When a child isn't given what they want, they will throw a temper tantrum. But as a parent, you have to know how to deal with it in a way that isn't harmful to the child.
American Academy Pediatrics suggest that a child should not be exposed to technology until 24 months. They also suggest that children 2-5 years old should be limited to one hour of technology per day.
From personal experience, I have been around many children who are given tablets and phones at a younger age than 24 months, and I have also been around many children who have been exposed to technology for multiple hours a day.
This is hindering their development. From the parental perspective, giving your child what they want the majority of the time is slowly deteriorating their independence. As the child gets older, they will realize a popular pattern of receiving whatever they want.
In other words: "generation entitled." Children are becoming entitled because they have never been told "no" by their parents.
Not only can this hinder a job opportunity, it can also hinder educational opportunities. It will result in temper tantrums as a grown child. High schoolers, specifically, are often told they aren't permitted to use cell phones and laptops in school. "Generation entitled" is fighting this rule, resulting in loss of educational time and consequences that will hopefully teach them a lesson.
Allowing your children to rely on technology from a toddler age will result in a lack of independence. Stop this trend and stop giving your child a phone/tablet to quiet them in public. Instead, take a traditional approach by removing your child from the situation, asking them what the issue may be, and discuss/negotiate a solution.