“How long until we get there?” This single question must be built into the DNA of every child, because there is likely not a parent in the world whose kids have not uttered these words on a short or long road trip. I can drive my three kids to their grandparent’s only 20 minutes away and at some point, one of the three will ask that dreaded question. My son and I went to watch the Washington Redskins get handled by the Baltimore Ravens. To my surprise, he never asked the question. Before you ask, no I did not tape his mouth shut. I just gave him the iPad loaded with music, games, and TV shows.
I think I have given up hope that the iPad might be a productivity device for me. Despite attempts to make it a useful device, it is far too often that I am stuck thinking how much faster or more productive I would be on a laptop. My initial assumptions on the iPad was it would be a great device for my kids and for that it has done an amazing job. It has entertained my kids on trips to FedEx Field, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and a host of other locations. The best thing is, in spite of forgetting to recharge the device, 30% battery life is often several hours of gaming and video play back time. That is not to say I don’t pack the Energizer XP1800 just in case we needed a jolt of power.
Even if your NFL team gets spanked during a pre-season game the fun is in experience of going to the game. There are dozens of options to occupy a kid’s time on trips. One of our readers, George K told us how his son and daughter-in-law use their old iPhones to keep the kids entertained on trips or when needed. I am just thinking that if the iPad is not solving a problem for you, you can let your kids get some use out of the device. Other than having to clean fingerprints they truly use the product and enjoy every minute of it. I for one won’t miss hearing, “How long until we get there?”