My Husband and I recently took a road trip to Tahoe! It was so much fun! We got to hang out with all of my siblings, and their families, and it really was a great time. We had a conversation in the car, and then I won the conversation a bit later at the cabin. It went as follows…
Sarah (as we were passing a Best Buy): We should get Maddie a DSi for the trip home.
Hubby: You’re going to have to show her how to use it the whole time! It’s going to be more of a pain for you then it will be worth.
Sarah: She’s smart, she can figure it out as long as we get her some age appropriate games.
Hubby: hmmmm…
We then proceeded to the cabin, where at least 3 of her cousin’s have some sort of DS. After watching them play it for a little bit they handed it over to her, and just as I thought… she was a pro! (She’s also 4 years old by the way). So on the way home we will be stopping by a Best Buy and purchasing a DSi for Maddie (which may or may not also be used by my husband who probably played more of our nephew’s DSi than he did, which probably convinced him to buy it more than her actually playing it).
This entire scenario led me to this post though. If you want to teach your children technology, and at a very young age, you NEED to expose them to the technology early and often. Kids learning technology is all about exposing them to said technology instead of shielding them from it. Too many parents don’t allow their children to touch their computers or use their devices for fear that they will ruin them. The thing you have to do and remember is that they will only destroy the technology if you haven’t taught them how to use it and how to take care of it properly. When you are first exposing them to it you need to be there. Let them sit on your lap and use it, let them take a few pictures with your camera, but keep a close eye on them and teach them how to take care of it when you see them attempting to use it in a wrong way (eating the phone, pounding on the keyboard, etc)
The more you show your children that technology is something they can use to create, the more they will learn to appreciate, and handle the technology properly.
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I so agree with you. My 4 yo and 7 yo love playing games on the computer, reading on the iPad and figuring different games out on those devices and our phones. I think exposure at a young age is key.
I totally agree! I was terrified to let my boys, 5 and 3, try out my brand new Mac computer and ipad. I didn’t want them to break them. I also didn’t want them to be computer illiterate or afraid of technology, it’s no way to live in this day and age. So I let them play games on my computer (PBSKids.org), and games on my ipad. They are confident in their ability to do so and now so am I.
I agree 100%. My husband and I are about to have our 1st child in 3 weeks and the techno push has been a big topic of discussion in our house. I wouldn’t even call it a discussion it’s been more of a desire. Both my husband and I are pretty big geeks. He more so than I.
As a matter of fact our unborn son already has and email account. We figure technology is what makes our world function these days, and it’s only getting more important in our everyday lives.
There are still so many people out there that don’t open themselves up to new technology and I feel that they are going to be left behind. Especially in the job market. If you want your children to succeed you need to give them as many tools and skills as you can…even if technology scares you. Keeping your child totally away from technology, I feel, will only hold them back in the future.
Good post !
I can’t stand low life, girls gone wild, no decent values and stuff like that on the reality shows. Instead of actually living their own lives, some people get so hooked on some of the sleazier type shows and nothing on these shows is sacred…anything goes and so do we…to another channel, usually the Food Network, National Geographic, The History Channel etc. I like to be entertained by cop shows, mysteries and scifi too but I also enjoy learning new things to help me have a happy, sucessful life !