Techno-Babes
I love this photo of my son and I blogging. Well, I’m blogging and he’s giving me material to write about! As children of a software developer and a reasonably tech-savvy mama, my kids are bound to be fairly technically literate and exposed to the online world from a young age. But how young is too young? Or is there no such thing, given that these kids are growing up as “digital natives”?
My son is 8mths old. A laptop is certainly not a foreign item to him. He knows that we touch the keys, but not the screen. He knows that we use gentle fingers on the keys and do not hit them! He is allowed to play with an old keyboard, but knows Mummy’s laptop is not for touching.
My daughter has just turned 3. She regularly emails family and friends, with help from me. She independently types her name and inserts smileys (shift key and all) and knows how to change the size and colour of the font in her text. She knows what Google is. She knows my online name is SquiggleMum (and has asked her father if he is “SquiggleDaddy”). She knows what a blog is. She knows how to get out of a program she has inadvertently opened by pressing esc. She knows how to insert a CD and plug in a USB mouse. She knows we use computers to find information, to communicate with people, to share photos, to watch video and to listen to music. I didn’t know most of these things until I was well into my teens!
I want my kids to be able to function effectively in the world they find themselves growing up in – but as their Mum I also want to protect them. I want to expose them to new technologies without exposing them to danger. And that means I need to make some decisions, sooner rather than later.
Will I let them have their own email addresses? Will I let them post to their own blog? Will I let them claim their own Twitter profile? E-literate parents are already gently leading their little ones into the blogosphere, or the twitterverse, or whatever you want to call it. A prominent Aussie blogger’s son, for example, has his own Twitter profile and almost two hundred followers. He’s two and a half years old. Too young? Maybe, maybe not. He might have a significant following, but the only person he follows online is his Daddy. Obviously his dad is watching out for him.
At the moment, I’m happy with my kids sending and receiving emails via my address, having their faces and stories (selectively chosen) on my blog, and not having a presence on Twitter or Facebook. I guess I’ll have to keep reviewing that though. Technologies change rapidly and children grow fast! What have you decided about the amount you will expose your kids to the online world? I’d love you to share your opinion – but please do it sensitively as we are talking about real people’s kids.
Very thought provoking. Two & a half is a bit young IMO but what you say makes a lot of sense. Teaching them from the beginning the do’s & dont’s is very wise. No different to teaching them not to touch the stove or how to put their shoes on. It’s part of life. As for when they can blog and have their own email address etc – big questions. I’d say you’ll be guided by their individual ability to use these technologies wisely. We, as parents, have the responsibilty of recognising just when that time comes.
Sue
I’ve thought about that too, but who knows how I’ll deal with it when the time comes. It’s a whole new world!!
If a kid wants access to the internet and they are of school age they will gain access, it is on phones, in shops etc personally Im not surprised it is not a built in feature in the toilet. (probably is) I keep a computer in the kitchen/family room that my daughter is allowed to use and has done since she just turned 2. She uses it to watch DVD’s and play online games. She sometimes writes or draws too. I built her a facebook page and my son. They dont use it but I use it to tag them in photos. I put the link to some of her favourite games below. I just really think supervision is the key. If it is made Taboo it only becomes more interesting http://www2.five.tv/programmes/milkshake/games/
http://www.nickjr.co.uk/play/games/flashHolder.aspx?name=dora_dressUp&type=flash&height=300&width=600
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2601&e=gamesByAge&mcat=game_toddler&site=us
kids today are born “wired” to the net and it’s both a scary and amazing thing. they adapt to it naturally because it’s part of their parent’s everyday life. But we as parents are and should always be the gatekeepers. (well until at least they’re old enough to vote=).
Lovely young one, Cath. Lmc
Great thought provoking post.
My daughters certainly know what my blog is, but don’t get on my laptop too often!
My 4 year old calls my laptop a “black-top”!
The net and computers is a part of daily life in our house… so my kids have grown up being a part of that in both subtle and not so subtle ways.
What is important to me is that we enjoy and use and learn about technology together, as a family. That it is not something that only the adults know and use or that only the kids know and use…
I don’t think there is a right or wrong age for anything. It is all about balance and what is right for the individual…
Wow! I thought my Miss 3 yo was net savvy but she’s got nothing on yours
I have to say I freaked out a little when I saw Playschool sending ‘emails’ on cardboard computers with egg carton keyboards. But I’m all for getting kids onto computers and the internet. My daughter goes to work with Daddy on his construction site so why not learn about what Mummy does too. I’d be more than happy to let her into the social networking scene (once she can type a coherent message!). But she’d be closely monitored as she would if we were anywhere else that she would come into contact with people I don’t know. At this stage she does send messages through my email address and through my facebook account, but only to family and friends.
When it comes down to it I agree with katef… it’s all about balance and what’s right for the individual.
Hmm, I’m a bit torn about this topic. My 6yo is completely obsessed with computers, but we limit his time on it (the oven timer works wonders!). I realise they will be exposed to it increasingly and am not anti-tech per se, however I feel there is a danger in too much time being taken up by tech activities at the expense of the all important developmental aspects of a youngster’s life, like playing outdoors in the dirt, and learning to socialise with others in the physical sense. I also think we need to ask ourselves whether we as 3 yr olds were being assisted to write letters, and whether this can be left to school age?
Hi Catherine (SquiggleMum)
Off topic sorry but prompted by your tech-savviness to ask if you have managed to find a way to effectively back up blogs. Do you know if there is a way? Something I have been meaning to look in to/learn how to do for both MOPS blogs and personal one. Can contact me via hillme@virginbroadband.com.au
Thanks
Thanks everyone for your great responses. I think the message that came through from everyone was BALANCE. I especially loved these thoughts:
Kids today are born “wired” to the net and it’s both a scary and amazing thing. (MummyTime)
What is important to me is that we enjoy and use and learn about technology together, as a family. (Katef)
What a sweet photo. My kids are also very internet savvy. My 8-year-old actually has some hand-writing problems and the teachers let him do his spellings etc on the computer because he’s able to get them right that way. The kids often play beside me while I’m working or blogging, and they like me to read the blog to them and they help pick photos out to put on there. If they are being silly (eg throwing a tantrum over something silly) I’ll threaten to take a photo of them and put it on the blog! Which makes them laugh.
Miss Six dictates emails for me to send her friends and they send ones back to her …
Plus their school has their own webpages for each class.
We love checking out photos of family and friends online and on Facebook.
I think it’s a sign of the times and as long as you monitor their use, and limit it (we limit it to about 20-30 minutes at a time), you are giving them skills they will need soon anyway.
Hehe, very cute!
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