The Gift That Finally Got My 4-Year-Old Grandson Away From His iPad
"Grandma, can we read my monster truck book again?" — Words I never thought I'd hear from a screen-obsessed toddler
By Margaret Chen, Grandmother of 3:
Published in partnership with Epic Tales Personalized Books
Three months ago, I was that worried grandmother.
You know the type. Watching my precious 4-year-old grandson Tommy completely mesmerized by his iPad during our visits, barely looking up when I tried to read him stories. His little fingers swiping endlessly while beautiful picture books sat untouched on the shelf.
My daughter Sarah would apologize: “Mom, I’ve tried everything. He just won’t sit still for books anymore. All the kids are like this now.”
But I refused to accept that this generation was just “different.” These are the critical years — ages 2 to 5 — when children’s brains are like sponges, forming the foundation for everything they’ll learn later. I wasn’t about to watch my grandson miss out on the magic of reading because some app was more colorful.