Why Steve Jobs has forbidden his children to actively use the iPad

When Apple was in its infancy, Steve Jobs strongly encouraged the journalists writing about the good of his company, or, on the contrary, he explained why they were wrong, writing any article. New York Times reporter Nick Bilton said that it struck him in 2010, at the time of a meeting with the head of Apple. After Jobs ceased to lynch him for what he has written about the iPad shortcomings, he said to him, one thing that is forever etched in his memory.

"Your kids must love iPad», - said then Nick, trying to change the subject. While the company's first tablet just hit the shelves. "They do not use it" - Steve replied. "We limit the number of modern devices that children use at home."

Nick was absolutely stunned. He represented the Jobs house as a haven for an idiot: large touchscreens in the wall, a dining table made of iPad, and the iPod, which are handed out to guests while dinner chocolates.

But Jobs said to him that this is not close. Since then, Nick Bilton had time to meet with many heads of technical departments of companies or venture capitalists who said the same thing. They limit the time that children spend in front of screens, prohibit the use of the device if you need to get up early tomorrow and give them a very short time over the weekend.

Nick was taken aback by such a parenting style. Most parents use a totally different approach, allowing children to bathe in the rays of tablets, smartphones and computers all day. But it seems that the head of the technical department knows something important about what we are not aware of.

Chris Anderson, the former chief of Wired and the current executive director of 3D Robotics, applied parental controls for all devices in the home. "My children blame me with my wife that we have become fascists and much care about the technology. They say that one of their friends is not subject to such restrictions, "- he told about his five children aged from 6 to 17 years. "This is because we see the imminent danger technologies. I saw her with my own eyes, and I do not want that to happen to my children. "

Under the threat it implies the impact of harmful content such as pornography, harassment, and the worst thing - getting used to the device that the child's parents have already undergone.

Alex Constantinople, the head of the OutCast Agency, technically oriented company engaged in advertising and marketing, said his five-year son that does not allow to use the devices during the week, and his older children 10 and 13 years, which allocates them to 30 minutes of using the device in day.

Evan Williams, the founder of Blogger, Twitter and Medium, and his wife, saying that instead of iPad in their hundreds of books are the house that their children are at any moment can take and read.

As moms and dads can correctly determine the border, they have to be set before their children? In general, it depends on the age of the child. Children under 10 years are too prone to addiction, so parents should prohibit use their devices throughout the school week. By limiting the output should be from 30 minutes to 2 hours of use and iPad iPhone. Children from 10 to 14 years are allowed to use the computer during the week only for homework.

"We do not allow your children to spend time before the screen during the school week," - says Leslie Gold, founder and CEO SutherlandGold Group. - "But you have to make adjustments when they get older and need a computer for school work."

Some parents also prohibit young people use social networks, with the exception of Snapchat, in which messages are deleted immediately. Thus, they will not have to worry about what the Internet will be their statements, which will then pursue them as Nick said one of the company executives.

Many parents give smart phones to children under 8 years old, while the present technology are waiting for at least 14 years. But there is a universal rule that was understood from numerous conversations with parents.

Rule №1: «There are no screens in the bedroom. Dot. Never", - said Chris Andersen.

While parents limit the time of use of the devices, others are concerned about exactly what a child can be engaged on the devices.

Ali harbor, founder of iLike and Facebook adviser, Dropbox and Zappos, said that there should be strict a distinction between the time "wasted" while watching YouTube or video games, and the time of "creation" at aid devices.

"Just like I could not limit the time a child can spend, drawing, playing the piano or writing something, I think it is absurd limit his time spent on the creation of computer art, video editing or computer programming, "- he said it.

Others say that the prohibitions on the contrary, this may create a monster computer.

Dick Costolo, Twitter CEO, said Nick that his wife approved the introduction of restrictions on the use of devices in the living room. But they believe that too much time limits can be bad for their children.

"When I was at the University of Michigan, in the room the guy who lived next to me, was a box of Coca-Cola and other carbonated beverages," - said Costolo. - "I found out later that his parents would not allow him to drink soda when he was a child. If you do not allow the child to become familiar with the device, it can lead to what consequences? "

Nick has not asked Jobs what his kids are doing, instead of using the device to create them, so he had to turn to Walter Isaacson, who has spent a lot of time in their home.

"Every evening, Steve was having dinner at home at the big table in the kitchen, discussing books, history and many other things", - he said. - "Nobody did not get an iPad or computers. Children seemed absolutely not tied to all of these devices. "