Raising a “Techie Child”

I am always on the fence when it comes to giving handheld devices to my child. On the one hand, I want her to learn how to read books. Yes, actual books. I want her to play and get messy (ok, not too messy!). I want her to interact with kids her age.

But in reality, the iPad is my solution to almost anything. It’s a distraction and an effective attention drawer for a toddler who has very little patience inside the car. It saves us a lot of drama and meltdowns. I also get things done, like wash the dishes or .. poop!

The other day I was in the middle of a terrifying conversation. There she was, a mom of three, non nonchalantly saying why she would NEVER give her children handheld device. She talked about radiation, inappropriate content and everything else that is wrong with the world. She even said her husband’s left leg felt numb after some years of placing his phone inside his left pocket (didn’t they say it also causes infertility?? hello, three kids!)

I said terrifying coz it really was terrifying for me! For the first time, I felt inadequate as a parent. I felt that I was doing everything wrong. And for some reason, even just for a little while, I doubted myself.  As they kept discussing the evils of technology, I concentrated on my lunch. I nodded in points that I agree with but otherwise I kept my mouth shut. I just knew that there’s no winning in this discussion.

After much thought and crazy conversations in my head, I realized I shouldn’t have doubted myself. Heck, I was doing a good job with my kid! And you know what? I won’t stop giving her the iPad just because somebody said its not right.

It’s 2014. We all have handheld devices. We all use the internet. It’s not a surprise that children in this generation would be interested in these things. I grew up watching Sesame Street on TV. I boast on the fact that I speak English better than the kids my age who just played with rocks (not that playing with rocks is a bad thing, they’re probably better at lifting than me! You know what I mean…)

What’s the difference between watching Sesame Street on TV and the iPad? None! Its the same thing!!  Technology is not the problem here. We just need to set boundaries. Here is a good article that reinforces my point:

10 Reasons Why I Will Continue To Give My Children Handheld Devices

Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Leave a comment!