Yesterday and today have been indoor sorts of days – lots of rain, and with two children under the age of 2, there’s not a lot to do indoors, especially since I’m stuck to the sofa quite a lot feeding the baby. So, sometimes against my better judgement, I’ve been using the TV and iPad to entertain my 21 month old daughter. Which begs the question – which is better for her?
On the surface, maybe the answer is obvious – neither! And I admit that sometimes when I’m tired and tetchy I use the tv more than I want to because it just takes care of things… But that’s part of the problem. When DD watches tv she often zones out, sometimes sitting with spoon or food in her hand instead of eating. (I know. Sometimes I think she’s not mine. Who sits there with food not eating?? :p ) But since her tv diet consists of generally educational programs on CBeebies usually I’m happy to let her watch. And I try to only let her watch things that I’ve recorded so that she’s not sat there endlessly, but this doesn’t always work either. So, I’ve been substituting the iPad for the tv lately.
Which made me think. Other than the fact the the screen is smaller, is it any different from tv? She still watches tv shows (Richard has downloaded episodes of Roary the Racing Car and Camberwick Green amongst others for her to watch), and there is also the Peter Kay Children in Need video (currently on the 1,364,973rd viewing…) that is a firm favourite, but she does do other things. No, not Facebook and Twitter (although THAT will come all too quickly I’m sure…) but rather several apps we’ve downloaded for her – and some we downloaded for ourselves! The ease with which she switches between apps is a bit scary sometimes, and even elicited comment from the assistants in the Apple Store where we bought our iPad, but it also begs the question – is she simply developing skills which children will need in the future? Or are we scarring her for life by introducing her to tech so early?
Let me explain how she uses the iPad. She can easily find the videos and TV programs she likes to watch through the Video app, but she rarely sits and watches a complete episode in one go. She’ll watch the title sequence of Roary the Racing Car over and over to see Roary if that’s what she’s in the mood for, or the first 10 seconds of the Children in Need video over and over (and OVER!!) if she wants Big Chris. Then she’ll flip to a drawing program or the matching game we’ve downloaded for her. She’ll often cycle through the games we’ve downloaded for us as well, only asking for help (with a slightly imperious ‘Tan too!’ [Thank you!]) if she comes across a menu that she can’t navigate before flipping back to Roary or whatever it was that she was watching. In other words, she moves on to the next thing when she gets bored, something that she can’t do when watching TV. And yet she’ll happily sit through 20 minutes of Something Special without moving, as she’s fascinated with the signing and she loves Mr Tumble.
So while using the iPad is a completely different experience from watching tv, it’s still has some of the same drawbacks. She’s not active, for example, while using it, and she’s not doing things like reading or drawing or making mud pies. (Please, let there never be a time where she tries to use the iPad while making mud pies!!) She isn’t, however, sitting zombie-like in front of the telly. And maybe on a rainy day such as this (and, it looks like, tomorrow), that’s a good compromise. I guess the idea is, as always, everything in moderation.
Any thoughts?
The technology that these kids are growing up with, eh! I remember begging my parents for an Atari, and they wouldn't budge! 🙂 Jarrod is the same way with technology. Generally I let him play on the CBeebies website, or PBS Kids or if I really need to get stuff done and he's totally bugging me, 20 minutes of Mario Kart or Wii Fit on the Wii. And then I feel really guilty about it afterwards. But even at the library, or in preschool, there are computers. And of course kids are drawn to them like magnets. I think it's all the colours and movement they're attracted to. And adults tend to say that kids need to learn how to use technology. But I think the danger is when parents use that technology as a substitute for learning how to draw with a pencil and paper, and using an insipid LeapPad to read instead of having a parent sit down and cuddle and read to them–which you definitely don't do Beth. I spoke with a retired kindergarten teacher this summer and she said that in the last few years of her career she really noticed a big change in how kids learn; many kids now come into school knowing no songs are can't even draw a circle on a page. That should set a lot of alarm bells off somewhere. So I think all parents have this debate in themselves. You just can't avoid technology really. Our little 'uns are going to grow up knowing this stuff as innately as breathing. But as parents, our job, in theory, should be to act as gatekeepers of it all, and make sure that the other 'old fashioned' skills are learned as well. But boy is our job made difficutl!!! I wish there was some magic guidebook around to help us out.
PS You have an iPad???? I"m completely jealous. I wants one.