Tablets may not be the best babysitters

Though the kids may not want to hear it, there are toys for children and there are toys for adults. Tablet computers, it seems, fall into the latter category, according to research from survey firm SodaHead.

The company questioned more than 1,000 adults and found that two-thirds think children should wait until they are at least 16 before being allowed to own a tablet or a smartphone, news provider Mobiledia reports.

This survey follows shortly after the release of revised guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding children and media use. According to the AAP, children under the age of two should have limited exposure to devices like smartphones and tablets, as it may affect their learning abilities.

Parents, evidently, want to take these recommendations a few steps further, though the decision may also have to do with cost and usage. According to Mobiledia, parents are nervous that children may use tablets to view inappropriate content that they cannot monitor or block.

These concerns do not apply to more basic mobile devices -- at least not to the same extent. SodaHead finds that most parents believe simple mobile phones are fine for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 15, as they can be used in case of an emergency.