A friend recently asked me to write a blog post about kids using technology while at a restaurant. I’ve gone around on this topic for a while… not entirely sure what I wanted to say about it. But here are my thoughts.
On one side, I want to say no, kids need to learn to participate in conversation…
But mostly I want to say, kids are not adults. And it’s perfectly developmentally appropriate for them not to want to participate in conversation all the time.
I’ve watched our twins go from play dates – where they ran around screaming like crazy creatures – to teenagers who sit around and talk. This is normal. This is appropriate. This is how it should be.
So… here’s my current take on all of this. If your kid is at a restaurant with you, spend a little time in conversation. Crayons and paper is a good distraction – and more easy to draw their attention away from than an iPad – but if it keeps everyone happy until the food arrives, then a little screen time is a not necessarily a bad thing. But have an agreement ahead of time that when the food arrives the screens go away (for all of you!)
