kids

Ahhhh... listen to the serenity. Should kids be allowed to use loud iPads on public transport?

There’s no doubt iPads are a handy parenting tool.

They keep the kids entertained while you’re working, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, or sitting though a long commute.

However, they can also be really loud and distracting, and grate on the nerves of everyone around you.

Some slightly frazzled mums have taken to Mumsnet to vent their frustration over what they view as rude behaviour by other parents.

AnneGrommit started the debate, writing: “The last few times I’ve been on a train… and on the bus I’ve had my peace disturbed by toddlers with phones/tablets either playing noisy games on them or watching programmes.

kids ipads public transport
"I don't want to be subjected to fifty rounds of Peppa f***ing Pig." Image via iStock.
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"When I've asked parents to rein them in I've been invariably met with either passive aggressive remarks about not liking children (I have three myself) or outright hostility and a statement along the lines of 'it keeps them quiet'.

"No, it doesn't. It stops them from pestering you but it's far from quiet. AIBU (am I being unreasonable) or is this an accepted 'thing' now? Because it's f***ing annoying."

She clarified that she doesn't "hate children" but she just doesn't want to be "subjected to fifty rounds of Peppa f***ing Pig".

And it seems many mums agreed with AnneGrommit's sentiment.

"I find it really rude," said Ginandplatonic. "It's not hard to show a bit of consideration for others, and makes everyone's life much more pleasant."

"You are not being unreasonable. It drives me fecking nuts," added Tinselcandle.

"Doctor's waiting room, with sick and elderly people waiting to be called in, there was a family of two parents, 3 children, and they were all 'quietly' playing on their tablets.

"They shouldn't be f***ing allowed by their numpty parents to subject the whole waiting room to their irritating and unwanted noise level. Do it at home if you like. Don't subject everybody else to it."

GavelRavel added that she makes sure her kids use headphones when they're on public transport.

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PickleSarnie said she recently had her lunch ruined by an 18-month-old watching Sesame Street on an iPad.

"So they had dumped an iPad in front of him with bloody Sesame Street playing repeatedly with the volume turned up. Kids that age couldn't give a crap of the noise is turned on. Ruined my lunch. It's lazy and selfish."

While others were quite happy to listen to a little Peppa f***ing Pig on their daily commute.

A dad in Brisbane came up with a brilliant way of getting his kids off the iPad. Post continues...

"It's pretty common, and Peppa Pig on quietly is way less irritating than a bored, whiny child in my opinion, but then my journey to/from work is literally the only time I get to myself, I can drown crappy kids TV out, but people of any age chatting annoys me (which I know is totally unreasonable)," one person wrote.

"It's never bothered me," added Justdontknow4321. "It's no different to people having really loud convos on the bus that I don't want to listen to or people chatting on the phone or people with headphones on but with the volume up full blast so you can still hear it or people eating and chewing loudly, it's not a restaurant so why would I expect people to be eating on a bus?

"So I ain't going to start moaning about a bit of game noise, I'd rather that then hearing a child moan about something."

Do you think kids should be able use iPads on public transport? Share your opinion in the comments below.