# Why did the founder of Apple raise his children without an iPad? > “No lo han usado, limitamos la cantidad de tecnología que pueden usar los niños en casa“ - **Author:** mireia-navarro-vera · **Category:** Infantil - **Published:** 2016-02-21 · **Updated:** 2016-02-21 - **URL:** https://elteuespai.com/en/why-the-founder-of-apple-raised-his-children-without-ipad/ - _Translation pending clinical review._ --- In an interview given to the newspaper** The Nex York Times** in 2010, **Steve Jobs**, when asked "your children must love the iPad, don't they?", answered: > “*No lo han usado, limitamos la cantidad de tecnología que pueden usar los niños en casa“* And this makes me consider the following: **Why does the creator of much of the most in-demand technology on the planet limit its use for his own children?** The answer seems obvious to me, because as parents we must** control both the amount of time** they are using it **and the quality: **what do they watch? what games do they have? what apps do they use? It is our responsibility to make sure our children make **good use of new technologies**. Just as we teach them what they should eat and in what amount, just as we control the sweets they eat or the hours of sleep they get. ## How can I get my children to make good use of the iPad? ### Always control the time The line that separates use from abuse is very thin. If your child plays every day, make it very little time, around 20 minutes. If we count extracurricular activities, homework and the rest of daily responsibilities, they have very little time left to be with us, to talk about how their day went and to play with one of their toys. Therefore, **if they play for more than 20 minutes,** they will be **stealing time from the other important things in life.** ### Control the quality what they watch or what they play. **You cannot leave your child alone with the iPad. **Share your time and **play with him/her**, that way you will see what that game is like and you will be able to decide whether it is appropriate for them or not. There are many** educational apps **that can be very good for children's intellectual development. Make sure **the game is appropriate for their age**. ### Try not to use it at family or social gatherings ![iPad use in children](/images/blog/2016/02/uso-tecnologias-300x300.webp)Do not take away from your children the opportunity to socialize, do not facilitate social isolation, because **relationships with others require learning** that takes place precisely during childhood and adolescence. It is a very important part of our life, we are social animals and we like to be with others. ### Don't let it be the only thing they have fill the house with books, **encourage reading and educational play**. **The iPad should not be their only game**. Encourage them to play other things. How? Well, tell them they will play with the iPad later, that first they should play something else, go with them to choose other toys and that way make it easier for them to divide their time. ### Don't turn the iPad into their babysitter the obligations and responsibilities of daily life overwhelm us and sometimes **we turn to the iPad to keep them entertained for a while**. We should not overdo it; if we leave them playing on the sofa while we do other things, **they will spend more time than recommended**. By this, I don't mean you should never do it, but it's better not to overdo it. When you have to prepare dinner, let them help you, let them accompany you; it is also important **that they take part in the household chores.** ### Take age into account depending on the age of our children the use of the iPad will be more or less appropriate.** From 0 to 2 years old,** **the best thing is that they don't use it.** We should avoid giving it to them so they will eat, because we will create a habit that will later work against us since it will be very hard to take it away.** From the age of 3, use should be short **and with age-appropriate content. If you want more information about this, [7 out of 10 children will be addicted to new technologies in adolescence. How to prevent it](/en/7-of-10-children-addicted-to-new-technologies-how-to-prevent-it/) **Steve Jobs **would be part of this trend of **parents who have questioned the real benefit of new technologies for their children**. Eliminating contact with new technologies may seem like a radical stance and I usually steer away from extremes. **Perhaps, appropriate use is the** **answer.** Our children were born in the technological age and we are not going to be able to change that. But it is our duty **to teach them that there are other important things**: books, games, crafts, art, theater, the mountains, the beach, gatherings with friends or family, helping with household chores and talking, communicating. **During childhood we must create the habits that will stay with them later in adolescence and in adult life; it is better to create a good habit than to change a bad one.**