s/o watching TV, what about the internet?

MrsIH

Speaking of the recent post (in the weekly check-in) about letting LO watch TV or not.  Sandra mentioned something about laptops and being on them a lot (MH are I are guilty of it too).  How do you guys feel about computers/laptops and LO.  Do you use the computer in front of them (or a smart phone?).  Do you think it's a bad idea to let them see you on an electronic device when they are around?  Just curious about this as well because I know many of you don't let your LO's watch any TV :-)  

lola808

I try to limit both TV and internet exposure, but I am guilty of letting A crawl around in the office while I check email and such. Thankfully he'd rather be down playing than sitting in my lap in front of the screen. And I try to do most of my online stuff when he's sleeping anyway.

I don't have a smart phone and am really not interested in one -- I already feel too plugged in. At this point, I'm not big on electronic toys for myself or A. I'm already behind the times, though, so I don't know how long my boycott can last.

MauiWedding08

we have laptops but usually only use them after J goes to sleep unless there is an unusual circumstance like I'm working from home or something. 

We also skype a lot with DH's parents/family and I don't really mind that at all, I think it's important for them (and J) to continue to have some sort of connection even if J doesn't really understand what is going on.

The big issue is the phones - we are always on those.  I (and DH at times) have work issues that come up that need to be monitored on nights/weekends - but I also use it for personal stuff a lot too (FB!!).   Should I be worried that J picks up our phones and immediately gets his thumbs moving like he's firing off a text?  haha.

inamra

Unfortunately, that's one of the downsides of working from home--is that B sees me on the computer all the time. But I do have reduced hours nowadays so I'm able to play more with him, stay with him while he's trying to nap, etc since I don't have to be on the computer 8 hours a day...but he still sees us on it pretty often.

Actually, I've been wondering if it's better to send B to daycare for some social interaction with other babies once a day while I get more work in without having to be on the computer when he's around/watching. 

I think since we don't have TV, B is way more exposed to computers than TV and I think it might sorta be a way of life to come for him since MH and I are both engineers--I guess my point is, if he takes an interest in computers in the way that MH and I are (ie. geeky/techy stuff =P), then we'd actually encourage it because it's thought-provoking and educational. Cuz other than doing work or techy stuff, we don't do much except read news (MH), play games (but not very much/often), or go on the boards (me--but I usually only do that on my pumping break at work or when he's napping/sleeping).

redshoegirl

There's a big difference between computers and TV, in my opinion. Computers - whether it's the internet, games, etc. - are interactive and engage your brain far more than TV does, since TV watching is an extremely passive activitity. I'd much rather that my kids played age appropriate games on the computer or XBox (within reason) than just sat and watched TV. 

I also nodded my head when I read this:

inamra:

 I think it might sorta be a way of life to come for him since MH and I are both engineers--I guess my point is, if he takes an interest in computers in the way that MH and I are (ie. geeky/techy stuff =P), then we'd actually encourage it because it's thought-provoking and educational.

We're not engineers, but Ben is an IT nerd and I spend time on my computer editing photos and whatnot. And although they don't get a huge amount of exposure to Ben's smartphone, he does have an alphabet app on there (the song, with letters flashing up) that they like, and that's OK with me since I file it under "educational".

Oh, and we've both held one of the boys on our laps at some point (usually when one has woken up from a nap way early and just won't go back to sleep, so we take them out of the room so the loud babbling won't wake the other boy) and done stuff on our computers. Generally reading news, that sort of thing, but they've certainly been exposed to it more than TV. 

Married2MrWright

Our computer is in the family room and one of us (me, my mom or DH) is usually on it. Libby will sit in our laps and try to touch the keyboard or mouse so we have a cheapo calculator we keep up there for her to "type" on. That said, she's obsessed with the screen saver so we turn off the monitor when we're not on the computer.

I try to limit my time on the computer when Libby is around...mainly because I have such limited time with her anyway, so I want to spend it with her...engaged in play or reading or whatever. I try to spend my online time when she's sleeping or with DH or my mom playing in her room.  We don't generally watch videos or play games online either, just surfing the net, reading the news, online shopping, FB and of course for me, TB! DH also takes college classes online and has to do his homework on the computer so he's on it a lot when he's home.

We gave up our SmartPhones this time last year...it was just costing us way too much money and we no longer has business needs for such fancy phones. Now we're on prepaid plans that just allow calls and texting. Our phones don't even have built in cameras. Can you imagine!? *shudder* Libby never thinks twice about our cell phones. She does like the house phone though...especially because the buttons light up when it rings.

We plan to wait to introduce direct computing to Libby...I know babies as young as 18 months old are at the computer sometimes...playing CDRoms and online games, etc. I figure she'll have her WHOLE live to be staring at a screen, it can wait. When we do allow screen time (TV, computer, etc.) it will be limited to just 30 minutes a day, total, especially before she's in school. I imagine school will require some computer time at home, but hopefully not hours on end. We'll have to find the right balance for us. I want my kids to play outside, be imaginitive, crafty, athletic, etc. and not much of that is fostered by sitting infront of a flickering screen.

MrsIH

inamra:

 I think it might sorta be a way of life to come for him since MH and I are both engineers--I guess my point is, if he takes an interest in computers in the way that MH and I are (ie. geeky/techy stuff =P), then we'd actually encourage it because it's thought-provoking and educational.

This is true.

MrsIH

Married2MrWright:

We'll have to find the right balance for us. I want my kids to play outside, be imaginitive, crafty, athletic, etc. and not much of that is fostered by sitting infront of a flickering screen.

Well said, Lori  

debbiezoey

Hi gals,

Again, my child is older (8), but we just started this new campaign that was offered by her school called "Switch".  Change what you do, what you chew and what you view!

The goal, and what they are recommending is that kids limit "screen time" to less than 2 hours per day,  This includes TV, computer, video games, phones and handhelds.  I do let me daughter watch TV and don't monitor her too much on it because I feel she does a really nice balance of all her activites.  I worry more about inactivity than I do how much time she spends watching TV.  BUT, it is freezing here in Iowa and dark at 5:00 so it's not like she's giong to be outside runing around in the winter!  She spends her evenings doing homework, crafty activities, reading, computer and TV.  She had to wear a pedometer yesterday to get her baseline and she had over 15,000 steps!  Granted, she went horseback riding last night and wore it, but I though that was great!  Like Lori said, it's all about balance!

lelekay

I think the biggest point that I agree with is that its all about balance.  I also agree with:

redshoegirl:

There's a big difference between computers and TV, in my opinion. Computers - whether it's the internet, games, etc. - are interactive and engage your brain far more than TV does, since TV watching is an extremely passive activitity. I'd much rather that my kids played age appropriate games on the computer or XBox (within reason) than just sat and watched TV. 

Henry hasn't gotten much computer/internet yet....I do use it when he's around, but usually only when he's sleeping.  I also use my iPhone sometimes when he's eating, but only because he seems to want to eat alone in peace without me bugging him.

We do use my computer, though, for iTunes a lot.  He LOVES music, so I often bring my laptop into the nursery when we're playing in the evening so we can "dance."  We rarely look at the screen, though.  In fact, he usually can't even see it from his vantage point.  With that said, though, I have been known to put the visualizer on occasionally when he's being really fussy.  Works like a charm, he loves the moving images!

 

mrspresley

we are both on our laptops/computers A LOT but i don't think i do it a lot when she is around/awake. usually i limit it to necessary stuff and the rest i do when she has gone to nap/bed.  i don't have a smart phone so that's not an issue and DH isn't on his a lot, either (since he is doing most stuff on his computer already...he is on the phone more when we are out and about)

that said, she is fascinated with anything technology related...she always wants to grab our cell phones, "type" on our computers etc  she has a play phone that plays music and lights up but it simply does not get her attention like one of our cell phones! we let her hold/play with our phones occasionally and we have an old junkie cell phone that she gets to play with all she wants.

as far as how old she is when we allow her to play on the computer, use the internet, etc. i am not sure...but definitely not for quite some time, maybe not until she starts school.  i grew up using the computer for school work (back when we used floppy disks LOL) and was taught how to type on the computer from a very early age (i think it was first grade???) and thanks to that i can now type really fast (~90wpm) which comes in handy a lot at work i don't think we'll let her play computer games much...DH doesn't even play computer games at all b/c he knows that if he got into it, it would consume way too much of his time....so i don't think he'll want her spending too much time on that stuff either.

as an aside...when we were home for xmas... i was talking to one of my cousin's kids who is 10 and he was telling me how he just got a cell phone for xmas. i asked him if all his other friends had cell phones and he said yes. i asked him how old most of his friends were when they got their first cell phone and you know what he told me? 6!!! yes, 6!!!  i cannot believe that 6 year olds are getting cell phones these days... makes me feel old :P we definitely will not be getting Miss A a cell phone until she is much older.