iParenting

Hi, I’m Isabella and I'm a naughty parent. I'm an iPad parent. There, I said it. Don't judge me. I can explain: I frequently use the iPad to occupy Becky; when I need that extra 20 minutes of kip in the morning after being up at night with Alex. When I take a shower. Or when I have to get some chores done and need a good girl who doesn't keep pulling things out as I'm tidying others away. Or when I just need a break; five minutes to myself, with a cuppa and my feet up.

It's bad, isn't it? I always swore I wasn't going be the Mum who plops her kids in front of the telly (surely the old school version of the iPad) to get some peace and quiet, but there you go, the reality of parenting has taken over, and I'm doing it.

Not that Becky minds. She loves it. She plays games on it, watches kid’s movies and programmes on Youtube and Netflix, and generally uses the iPad like a little wizz kid ever since she was just over a year old.

And whilst I do keep an eye on what she's watching and make sure that she plays / watches age appropriate things and educational stuff (well, apart from that creepy Kinder-Surprise-Egg woman who does just that, open Kinder Surprise Eggs!?! - Becky is totally fascinated by her and manages to sneak that in now and again), it doesn't take away from the fact that the iPad has become a pretty fundamental “tool” in my parenting. And a powerful leverage indeed.

A few times now, when Becky has been very naughty, I have threatened her with taking away the iPad, and it's a potent enough warning to instantly turn a rebellious child into an angel *Mwahaha! Evil laugh!*. Good job then that she hasn't as yet cottoned on to the fact that I won't actually follow through with that threat. That would be parental suicide. After all, how would I ever get anything done?