Picture this: you wake up to the sound of high pitched noises coming from the living room. As you go to investigate, you see your little sibling munching on Cheerios and watching “CocoMelon” on his iPad, volume full blast. You are annoyed, but you cannot express your feelings for fear that the little demon before you will lash out and start screaming. You watch as he smashes the dry cereal into his mouth, slobber everywhere, and wonder: “how did kids become like this?” 

 The “iPad kid” epidemic has spread worldwide as millennials are becoming parents. Kids are now given access to electronics very early, as parents find it simpler to use the internet as a distraction tool to keep their children quiet. This has created a new generation of kids who are not given enough attention to be cared for fully or taught social skills. Their noses are not wiped, and their faces are constantly starting at a screen, even at the most inconvenient times.  

 “[iPad kids] are very grubby, and the only reason they are that way is because their parents do not have the time to spend with them, so instead of bonding and having fun with their child on their own, they use an iPad, which develops all of the nasty traits of an iPad kid,” Jayden Mangan, junior, said.  

 The stereotype behind the “iPad kid” is a child who always has sticky hands, gunk around their mouth, and plays YouTube or cartoons on full blast. They are known to have short tempers, constantly pitching fits when they do not get their way. Many people find them incredibly annoying, as they have even worked to convince teens that they “hate” kids based on how these children act. 

 “[iPad kids] are absolutely disgusting. They have sticky fingers, and the layer of Cheeto dust always covering their iPad is vile,” Kylie Clay, senior, said.  

 This generation of children have been known to have a guttural cough and an unhealthy obsession with Roblox (an online game platform). Their iPads are often housed in bulky blue cases that seems to constantly be covered in sticky residue. As they are so enthralled with the screen before them, these kids tend to lose all awareness of their surroundings, often haphazardly contorting their bodies and throwing themselves in awkward ways over furniture, bumping into things, and randomly vocalizing. 

 “[iPad kids] always have to have a screen in front of them, even when they are out to eat with family. Plus, they are gross. [They are] always picking their nose and wiping it on the iPad,” Camryn Lewis, sophomore, said. 

 The “iPad kid” epidemic is real, and it is terrorizing the population. If you believe that someone you know shows symptoms of this disease, please direct them to the nearest library.