Tablet taboos

At first, Zhang found it convenient, because the boy would watch cartoons quietly by himself, and saved her from having to pay him constant attention.

Later, however, she found that he had become addicted, turning on the tablet himself and watching the same cartoons over and again. She downloaded some educational apps to distract him from the cartoons, but they soon lost their novelty and he was back watching the cartoons.

The current generation of children is exposed early to digital devices such as the iPad and other tablets and mobile computers. [Photo/Provided to China Daily]

"I thought about not allowing him to use the iPad anymore, but I dropped the idea after I realized how important it was to him. Even his father liked to play games on it," Zhang says.

"I was also afraid he would be excluded from his friends and classmates' discussions, if they played the iPad while he did not."

Her son exchanges Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies toys and apps with his peers.

Zhang knows how popular and powerful iPad is. But there is another trend that worries her.

She has noticed that at nearly every party she goes to, children ranging from 2-year-olds to teenagers play on their iPad or smartphones by themselves, and don't speak or mix with others.

Last month, her son was diagnosed with an eye infection and Zhang finally decided not to let him play on the iPad again, even after his eyes are fully recovered.

"My son tends to be allergic to many things and I have to be careful. The doctor said he couldn't say if the iPad caused the infection, but it would definitely make it worse," Zhang says.

"So I told him I had to take it away for work, and he adjusted to life without an iPad much easier than I had expected, although he whined about it every morning and evening in the first week."

While Zhang's case is an extreme one, when it comes to their child's wellbeing, parents always try their best.

Fan Yifeng, a college teacher in Dalian, Liaoning province, bought his first iPad three years ago and now his family also owns Windows and Android tablets.

He allows his 9-year-old girl to play with the iPad for an hour every day.

"My daughter is loaded down with school work, so I want her to have some fun with the iPad," Fan says. "I always download the apps myself, and ask friends which are the good ones."