I know I can’t be the only person out there that feels this pressure to plan out our days from morning till evening with tons of activities just to avoid the stigma of my children being glued to a screen all day long. It’s something that I have found my husband and I arguing over often in our 5 years of marriage, with me having this constant worry that we are somehow turning our children’s brains to mush if we dare to put them in front of a screen. However, recently I have realized that typing is just as important to teach our children as writing, and at the end of the day, there is so much value that can come from electronics.
The mom guilt associated with electronics comes from the idea that we are allowing cell phones, tablets, computers, and tvs to outright entertain the children instead of having to do any “actual parenting”. I am sure that some people do let TV’s and cell phones do the parenting, but most people I know have established rules and boundaries to keep a balance within their homes, yet they still feel ashamed or guilty to say the kids are playing on the computer or tablet.
So here is me boldly proclaiming in front of everyone that my kids play on computers, and tablets, and even occasionally watch the TV!
I think as Moms always want to feel like wonder women, but after not being able to accomplish anything without a helping hand (including but not limited to using the bathroom or even eating a meal) we sometimes just need a break! It’s in times like this that I’m grateful for websites like PBS Kids that have educational games that entertain and teach all at once. Getting just a half hour to accomplish something on our own really does allow me to be a better parent in my opinion. But I do firmly agree that there needs to be a balance. While the occasional lazy day is definitely ok it cannot become an everyday occurrence.
Something that has helped our family have a balance is to designate days in the week that we won’t watch TV or play games on the computer at all. My kids are told up front this is an “Electronic-Free Day” and we plan activities and other things to do. On the days that electronics are allowed, I still make sure that it isn’t just about vegging out to TV or movies, and that we use the technology wisely towards our children’s education.
We live in a technology driven world, and so I feel like it’s important for us to teach our children how to use electronics correctly. My sister-in-law even shared with me that their schools down in Utah are teaching kids the basics of programming!
So with one child in 1st grade and another child preparing for Kindergarten, we have been focusing on teaching them how to type properly, and my husband has even talked about having our son (1st grader) help him build a computer. My husband especially loves the idea of teaching our children the inner workings of technology since he has worked in the IT field for the past 9+ years. He can see how his industry is continuing to grow and develop and could be a great skill set for our children to learn. And while everyone might not have a Systems Administrator on hand like our household, there are tons of programs available that are both fun and entertaining for children while still developing some computer skills for them. Let’s face it, even if our children don’t want to go specifically into an IT job, practically any job is going to require them to know how to use a computer. I think it’s silly to try and fight the future as much as people have been when it comes to electronics, instead of just making sure there is safety and a balance in things.
We might have grown up in an age where Saturdays were spent with the kids locked out of the house spending all the time outdoors, but even living in the safety of Idaho Falls that isn’t something that I would feel comfortable doing with our kids in today’s world. So while I would never encourage anyone to just have the electronics parent their children I think it’s ok to recognize that times have changed and it’s ok to not only give ourselves a break by allowing electronics, but also prepare them for the future by teaching them how to use them. So release the Mom guilt about handing over the tablet, as long as we have a balance electronics can be a great thing!
Need some ideas for “Electronics-Free Day”? Check out our Indoor Activities Guide or Winter Survival Guide: Toddler Edition
