Kids and technology - what do you think?

lovesgummies

DH and I were touring daycares last week and one place we visited had a computer room.  The lady giving the tour said they start taking kids in there at 2 years old.  I was shocked!  She said at that age some kids already know how to play the games since they're playing at home.  I was even more shocked!

So it makes me wonder.  Am I already turning into my parents by thinking "back in my day..." because I tend to think 2 years old is way too young for a kid to get onto a computer.  Then that also makes me think of cell phones and all that jazz...right now I don't know when kids get them but I didn't have my first phone until college and that seemed just fine.  But I know kids are getting them earlier and earlier, and to be honest that scares me!

 Tell me your thoughts!

ETA: Since writing this I've been hearing Kip singing "I love technology" in my head.  I am a nerd.

futureCLJ

As a mom already, I think 2 is tooooo young! BUT I think in Kindergarten they should have some basic skills, ie how to turn it on, Word, be familiar with keyboard and mouse.

Jer uses his PC alot for school work and learning. He's 10.

lilmgirl

I'm not against technology that teaches per se.  However, H and I are probably the least technological advanced couple I know.  I do think 2 years old is pretty young to be started them on a computer (granted I'm sure it's a "kids" computer like V-Tech or whatever that brand is called).  I just don't want my kid to be a tech junkie, like the only way to stimulate and entertain him is through technology.

ChicagoBroad26

There are some really good learning programs out there for early childhood kids (i.e., Starfall) which I plan to use with our daughter to prepare her for kindergarten. I do want her to get a feel for the basics before she starts, since the elementary school she attends (I used to teach kindergarten there) is HUGE on technology. However, I plan to de-emphasize technology as much as I can in general in favor of interpersonal communication skills, and am definitely against her having her own computer. She can use a family computer, which will be in a common room of the house.

Mjmksb04

I think its important for them to be computer saavy, especially at a younger age than we were. My DS watches sesame street videos on youtube all the time and is fascinated by the computer and wants to bang on the keys all the time. That said, if they are just letting the 2 year olds play around a little, it wouldn't bother me.

PinkeLLe2

We recently looked at 2 daycares for DS and they both offered two "enrichment" courses which were spanish and computer. I thought the spanish one was great! I wasn't impressed with the computer class. I didn't understand why my 2 year old needed to know that! He won't be playing computer games at home! I get the whole technology thing these days but for my 2 year old? No thanks.

babyonthebrain2010

Mjmksb04:

I think its important for them to be computer saavy, especially at a younger age than we were. My DS watches sesame street videos on youtube all the time and is fascinated by the computer and wants to bang on the keys all the time. That said, if they are just letting the 2 year olds play around a little, it wouldn't bother me.

I agree with this! 

Both my husband and I use computers on a regular basis for everything from communicating to each other, friends, family.. playing games.. getting information.. watching tv.  Our LO will undoubtedly be familiar with a computer by 2 years old.

lovesgummies

futureCLJ:

As a mom already, I think 2 is tooooo young! BUT I think in Kindergarten they should have some basic skills, ie how to turn it on, Word, be familiar with keyboard and mouse.

Jer uses his PC alot for school work and learning. He's 10.

I agree here.  I know computers can be used in great ways for learning and I'm not against that at all.  Perhaps my worry is letting my child get addicted to the computer or as another post said only get stimulation from that.  As a parent that'll have to be something I keep track of.

Mommysaurus123

I hate seeing:

1) My 4 year old nephew with a Nintendo DS

2) 13 year old girls at the mall with fancier cell phones than I have

3) My 7 year old niece tell her mom she "NEEDS" an iPod for Christmas.

UGH!

callthewind

I am not against kids and technology. I actually teach Technology to K-4 but to have them in there at 2 years old sounds like a major challenge. I know many of my kinders have trouble because we only have a regular sized mouse and it's huge in their hands! It takes us quite a while to get many of them feeling comfortable just using the mouse.

lovesgummies

callthewind:

I am not against kids and technology. I actually teach Technology to K-4 but to have them in there at 2 years old sounds like a major challenge. I know many of my kinders have trouble because we only have a regular sized mouse and it's huge in their hands! It takes us quite a while to get many of them feeling comfortable just using the mouse.

Just out of curiosity...what do you do with the Kindergarteners?

BB8785

2 is way to young.

5 is pushing it, though I know some elementary schools are teaching kids how to work with computers.

Connor will not have a tv in his room until he is 3 or 4, that way he can watch movies when he wants, but will not have a hook up to the satellite.

He will also not have any video gaming devices in his room until he can pay for one on his own. I can't stand video games. If he wants to play games at his friends house (though I will stress which games are allowed) he can do so, but he will not be stuck inside the house sittin on his arse playing video games or watching tv.

As for cell phone, he will probably get one when he is 12 or 13. That's when I got mine from my parents and now days it's best to reach him whenever we can.

ETA: H has a playstation and we have a WII. Connor will be allowed to play that, but only if he asks and his time will be limited.

TMNTgirl

DH and I don't really use technology that much.

Neither of us have smart phones, data plans or anything like that for our cell phones. My cell phone is over 3 years old. We don't have cable, we just have an antena for our TV, so we only get the basics (CBS, NBC, Fox, etc.) and hardly ever watch TV in general. I'm at a computer all day at work, but rarely on it at home and DH pretty much only uses the computer for school related stuff. And DH hates facebook and doesn't have an account.

So I just don't really see technology being a big part of our kids life. He'll never had a TV or computer in his room. And I know DH will definitely be one of those dads who says, "back in my day..." and won't want to pay for our kids to have cell phones or anything like that. He definitely views most technology today as a "luxury" item that a teenager can work for and pay for with their own money.

lovesgummies

TMNTgirl:

So I just don't really see technology being a big part of our kids life. He'll never had a TV or computer in his room. And I know DH will definitely be one of those dads who says, "back in my day..." and won't want to pay for our kids to have cell phones or anything like that. He definitely views most technology today as a "luxury" item that a teenager can work for and pay for with their own money.

I kind of feel this way too.  We'll have a tv in the house, and a family computer, but beyond that I kind of feel like if my kid wants her own phone, she can work toward getting one herself.

callthewind

lovesgummies:

callthewind:

I am not against kids and technology. I actually teach Technology to K-4 but to have them in there at 2 years old sounds like a major challenge. I know many of my kinders have trouble because we only have a regular sized mouse and it's huge in their hands! It takes us quite a while to get many of them feeling comfortable just using the mouse.

Just out of curiosity...what do you do with the Kindergarteners?

 We start the year using a paint program called TuxPaint to work on mouse control. It has enough options that it works well for our little ones who are already very computer literate as well as those who have never used a computer before. Now we're moving in to some web-based curriculum we have that teaches some basic computer skills. It involves learning how to log in which usually takes us a few weeks (each class only comes to the lab once a week) but they pick it up quickly!

cmeyer76

One of the daycare we have been to so far has computers for the kids starting at age 2, but they give each child a 15 minute a day time limit, and the kids can choose to play on it or not.  I'm cool with that.

 

MrsNoPhun

I think 2 is a little young to introduce something like computers, but I know there are plenty of educational techie toys which I am not entirely opposed to, but I am kind of partial to the old school way of learning. 

My stepson is 8 and we don't even let him use the computer when he is here. Mostly because we only have him during the summer and DH and I come from the school of thought that summer should be spent outside. 

This LO won't be using anything super techie anytime soon either. I am very much a fan of hands on learning.

njmandy

I think 2 is too young for my kid. However, I let my 3 1/2 yr old play games on my iPod, my PSP, and my PC. It's absolutely amazing to me that he can control the mouse (click and drag) and the buttons on the handhelds. I think it's a display of fine motor skills and another way to teach him things like the alphabet, matching, shapes, etc. It's limited use and I'm perfectly fine with it. He loves puzzles and this is another way for him to play.

starb4long

MLS_Becker:

I hate seeing:

1) My 4 year old nephew with a Nintendo DS

2) 13 year old girls at the mall with fancier cell phones than I have

3) My 7 year old niece tell her mom she "NEEDS" an iPod for Christmas.

UGH!

 

THIS.    I am a technology junkie, but I will strongly limit my child's use.  S/he will understand at an early age that technology comes with responsibilities.

lysl23

Thinking back, I've been on one since about 4 yrs old.  We had one of those IBM's with the orange and black screens and all we did was play tetris.  Now though its a whole different thing.  I would not want my 2 year on a computer at day care.  My children's computer usage will be closely monitored.  I think there are important skills that are absolutely necessary to be learned, but at 2 yrs old?!  I can only imagine how over protective I am going to be... oh dear