I work in the tech field and believed that it is old school to think that books are the way to educate kids and that the apps on that device named after the fruit mentioned upthread were the new way to introduce reading, knowledge, music, culture, science etc etc.
And we did start doing so at around age 1. And it backfired so majorly for us (may not for other kids) that we totally cut off electronics for the past several years. Our pediatrician told us that the serious sleep issues that my son was having were related to his sensitivity to the blue light from the electronic screens and that we should seriously limit screen time for him. We decided to pull the plug on all screens.
These days, my DS uses the computer for 30 minutes twice a week for his computer programming class. We occasionally watch major sporting events on the big screen. His school requires him to use his own laptop starting next year when we will get him one. Until then, practically, no screens. And no xboxes, no smart phones, no plugged in devices.
As to how he spends time with no electronics in sight - he reads a lot, he talks a lot (loves to chat and is very social), plays 2 musical instruments daily, plays 2 sports, gets outdoors a lot on the weekend. I think that his sleep issues are more manageable now than before and that is the best thing that could have happened to me as a sleep deprived parent.
