Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
One day, before I had kids, I was out for a walk with some girlfriends, all of whom were pushing strollers with little ones. We were on our way to a restaurant for dinner. I was chatting away when I noticed a little guy holding something and watching it very intently. It was a large iPod (these were the days before iPads). The boy was watching a video as we strolled. I was perplexed. The boy was about two years old. I turned to his mother and said, “Is that an iPod?” Her response was: “I don’t want to talk about it.”

People without children are all kinds of judgmental, which, it’s kind of easy to be when you have no clue what you’re talking about. My perspective has changed immensely. Goodness knows, my children love their screens. (They don’t, however, use them when they are outdoors. I still maintain that is ridiculous.)

Haley loves unwinding from a busy day by watching a few YouTube videos on the iPad. Unfortunately the iPad has become Hudson’s new obsession, because if Haley does something, then so must he. He’s not super adept at using it. He presses the main button and sort of bats at it hoping it will swipe to different screens. I always get nervous that he’ll get frustrated and throw it, a very real concern with a one year old.

Folks can switch to dumb phones and “cut the cord” all they want, but new technology is here to stay, and definitely when it comes to entertainment. Kids are always going to want in on the action, and there will always be concerns about what they are exposed to. Haley recently said, “Mom, when I see a commercial for a thing, it makes me want the thing.” Were truer words ever spoken? I think this issue comes down to the same thing almost all aspects of parenting do: knowing where to set limits and when to say ‘no’. But you try saying ‘no’ to toddler holding an expensive piece of computing over his head with no fear of smashing it to the ground.

Have a great week, everyone!