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Everyone around a child has a part to play. Choose the one that fits you.
Your role is bigger than you think
If you are the person who gives the Christmas present, or who minds the children after school, you shape a child's relationship with technology as much as their parents do. Many of the smartphones and tablets in Irish homes arrived as gifts from someone who loved the child and wanted to give them something special. That instinct is a good one.
How to support the family's decision
Ask the parents where they are on the pathway before you buy anything with a screen. If you mind the children, keep to the family's rules on devices, even when it would be easier not to. Offer alternatives that a child will remember: time, a trip, a skill, something built together.
If you are a childminder or au pair
Have a clear conversation with the family about devices on day 1. A phone or tablet used to settle a child is understandable, and it is also a habit that forms fast. Ask what the family would prefer you reach for first.