iBaby: Kids and Technology

My children are going to be smarter than I am, and I'm okay with that. In fact, that's how I think it should be. Parents want the best for their kids, and in my mind, that means that we want them to do better than we did in our lifetimes. To learn more than we learned. To have better jobs than we had. And in this day and age, to understand technology.

My generation is steeped in technology, yes, but we weren't raised with it the way our children will be. At two years old, Colin can fully navigate our iPhones and "his" iPad Mini with ease. He can turn it on, find an app, adjust the volume, and even find a show to watch on Netflix. He gets upset when we're out of wifi range and Netflix doesn't work. Is it bad that I think it's funny when he hands me the iPad and says "it's broken" because Curious George won't play?

So yeah, my kid pretty much loves technology. And he's already a pro at it, which is either a testament to how smart he is, or how far technology has come. Probably a little of both. I feel like I should add a disclaimer and say that we do encourage imaginative play and outside time, of course, and he isn't glued to the iPad all day long. However, with a 4.5 month old little one to tend to, any good distraction can be helpful. And hey, it's educational, too! One of Colin's favorite apps is called "Endless Alphabet." That app alone has helped him big time with his letter recognition. The other day when a commercial came on TV, he pointed to the screen and named several letters in a row. I am constantly amazed by how quickly he is picking things up.

Basically, I'm a big proponent of encouraging the use of technology from a young age. As parents, we need to use our judgment to make sure our kids are getting involved in enough activities off the couch, but I do think it's really cool that my sons will grow up with these powerful tools at their fingertips. They have a world of knowledge available to them that I didn't have access to as a child. In a society as dynamic and fast-paced as ours is, they need to know how technology works in order to keep up. Just my two cents.

How do you feel about kids and technology? I'd love to hear your thoughts!