Tech Translator
iPad Kid
Teen slang, explained for parents.
What it means
A label for a child who has spent most of their early years with a tablet or phone in hand. Used both seriously and as a joke. Carries an undertone of judgment about parenting and a real concern about what extended device use is doing to a generation of kids. Tweens use it to describe younger siblings.
How to bring it up with your kid
"Some kids your age describe younger kids as iPad kids. What does that mean to you? Do you think it is fair?" Useful conversation because it gets at how they think about their own device habits without putting them on the spot directly.