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I came across this article by Jonathan Anker "Your iPad is not a babysitter" on HLN.Com and I found myself wondering what course I should take with my kids. Here are some highlights:
- Parents should enforce a separation of kid and gadget
- With all that a young child can be doing, learning, creating, why encourage them to zone out?
- Teach your child the alphabet yourself. You don't need an app for that
F already loves the iPhone. This happened completely by accident but we downloaded the Fisher Price app "Where's Puppy?" and it was the only thing we could do sometimes to get him to eat or calm him down. Then the other day I had a release for work and M was out of town so I played the video of Peanut Butter Jelly Time, In the Jungle, Move it on my other monitor and the kid was OBSESSED. He is smart enough to also know they can be played on our phones so any time he even sees an iphone he wants it.
We do not own Ipads but I have pinned several ideas on Pinterest for apps, cases...etc for kids to use them. I mean, with all these accessories for kids to use your Ipad that must mean everyone is doing it right?
All images via Pinterest
Is this smart? Should we be a non-techy family? That is hard if you have ever seen our formal living room where my husband and I work. We both have 22" widescreen dual monitors for work plus our laptops out.
What is your take on this? I'm on the fence. As a kid I only got to watch TV while I ate dinner and if homework was done but I was also a big Nintendo kid...I could play Mario or Zelda for hours. On the other hand I was very outdoorsy and would pretend to be an archaeologist and tie ropes to trees and dig for quartz off the ledges at Chipmunk Hill.
xoxo
when I think of the number of hours each day that I'm on the floor playing with Wells or taking her to the park at least once each day, typically twice for a morning and afternoon at different parks. We grocery shop, we sing songs and talk in the car (no radio) and we snuggle. I can't imagine the limited time I use the ipad as a babysitter will hurt her. And it's a necessity for me. It's the only way she is completely self satisfied and contained. I am more than thankful for those apps!
ReplyDeleteDell Harper is only 8 months, but always grabbing for our phones and iPads. Obviously, she's not playing with them yet, but I wonder how to limit use in the future. I don't want to be the parent who bans something that all her friends are allowed, but at the same time, I don't want her to be little couch potato!
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