So lately my daughter has forgotten about the ipad and doesn't really ask for it anymore. So I am on the other side of my earlier comments, now I a feeling that I should encourage it a little bit more. When we use facetime to call her grandma she is uninterested. I am looking to find some more educational apps. Anyone got a good one that they have found successful?
We also went to a friends house this weekend and his child did nothing but walk around with his ipad (yes they all have one and he is only three years old). So he would sit and watch television through his ipad and not really socialize at all. When he was playing with my child, he was really just taking all his toys back and crying. They would throw the ipad at him and he would zone out. They were even discussing buying another ipad for their one year old daughter, just in case she wants to use it. They are afraid that the kids will fight over his. I didn't know what to say. I hope I never allow the ipad to raise my child like it is at their house. Thoughts?
I think that parenting now-a-days has really taken on a whole new meaning because of all the technology available to us. Our kids see us using the iphone/ipad/computer constantly and they want to do it too...which is a good thing and a bad thing. The one thing to keep in mind is if you allow too much access to technology (allow them to be using it all the time), their social abilities will definitely be impacted negatively. If kids don't learn to communicate with each other because they are too busy on their devices, they won't be able to relate to "humans"! Just my opinion...
ReplyDeleteI believe that children have short attention spans regardless of the quality of the toy or game that is available to them. How many have 30 or more stuffed animals, but eventually only prefer one, or the blankie that follows them to their college dorm..The advantage that you now have is the internet or blogs, to search for age appropriate games or apps that she might be interested in, because I'm sure that there are a lot of other parents out there that are also saying.....now that I've spent all of my money this gadget and my child seems to have lost their interest in it?????
ReplyDeleteAs far as apps for the younger kids, I really like "kids mode" by Zoodles. It has a built in story book mode that's nice, plus it allows you to create an "area" on the device where your child can only access appropriate apps. (I guess if everyone has their own, that's not an issue though.) I do think there is a difference between "screen time" and using technology for education and communication. I limit my kids' screen time, but don't include things like researching for homework, playing educational or exercise type games etc. in that time limit. It's all about balance and even the individual child's personality. My older daughter loves to watch TV, so we have to make sure to keep her involved in other activities, but my younger daughter doesn't like to sit and watch anything and we find ourselves encouraging a good game of Kinect Sports fairly often during the nasty Illinois winter. From your posts, I am sure that you are keeping a close eye on it and will figure what works best for your family, which is really all that matters.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me to when I grew up. I was on my computers every possible second that I could get away with it. That is how I got so in to it and made a living out of it now. Computers at that time however were quite different.
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