A report from the Beijing Evening News suggests Chinese parents are scuffling with their kids over iPads. It seems the iPad was the gift of choice for many children this past Chinese New Year, and now those youngsters are having a hard time putting their tablets aside. Exasperated parents don't know what to do when their tots refuse to hand over the iPad, and they're afraid iPad use may impede their children's education.

It may seem silly to non-parents, but as a parent myself, I can confirm this report. My kids are enthralled with the iPad. They will creep into a corner, turn down the volume and play games. They will even sneak the iPad to bed and read play games under the covers.

Instead of fighting against the machine, parents should consider embracing the iPad. Get an OtterBox case, disable Wi-Fi, and set up a password so you can restrict access to the device. Remove the time-waster type games and fill the iPad with learning apps. You may discover this system gives you the ideal balance; the kids get their iPad fix, and you can rest easy knowing their use is solely educational.

If you're a parent whose children use an iPad, how do you manage their usage? We would love to hear what works (or doesn't work) for you.

[via M.I.C. Gadget]

iPad is a nuisance for many Chinese parents originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.