“I’m checking my email,” announced Gatito, holding his travel aquadoodle like a laptop in the bath.
“Oh?” I asked. “What does it say?”
Cheerfully: “25!”
Then sadly: “Mommy Daddy put my green ‘puter away.”
Damn. We got that thing for Christmas and then realized he was too young for it and we didn’t want him to spend a ton of time banging around on it. We put it away, but apparently, two months later, he’s still thinking about it. He sounded so piteous.
I haven’t spent much time with the computer, so I actually don’t really know how to do even the most basic things with it. But this evening, I got it out for Gatito. It didn’t really matter that I didn’t know how to use it (I could barely open it!) because Gatito was not about to let me get my mitts on it anyway. Somehow, he managed to open the music application, Tam Tam and start making music. It was fascinating to watch him learn which buttons to push to start the music, and which to stop. I’ll tell you it didn’t take long, and I learned by watching him, not the other way around. (Though he did let me show him how to use the touchpad: “This is a mouse?” he asked.)
I don’t want Gatito to become a screenhead, and I do think two is too young for a kid to have his own green ‘puter (and, frankly, one of those $20 laptop toys would probably have been more appropriate), but it was still really cool to watch. I love technology, and I love knowing that he’s going to keep me on my toes, staying up-to-date on the latest trends as he grows up.
Your little guy sounds so adorable!!!
That sounds great, and he sounds like he’s clearly ready for some techno life. Hell, we are bloggers
Why shouldn’t our kids be ahead of the techno curve?
I hope my kids teaching me about virtual reality someday.
Boog will be 4 in April. He used to love coming in and playing fischer price shapes and colors on my computer when I’d let him. So we took an old computer and monitor and set it up in the office, and bought him some preschool software. He loves playing with it and knows how to type his name and is learning how to follow directions, solve mazes, and even read a bit. Every time I watch him play, I realize how much he’s picked up and figured out since the last time. Unfortunately, he still refuses to try to write his name or his ABC’s with pencil/crayon and paper. I have the feeling that he’s going to have terrible penmanship, but be a computer whiz…just like his dad. *sigh* Luckily, he still loves running and playing outside, so it’s not to hard to find a happy balance.
I love it! Green Puter! 2 months later! that is so cool. My niece was playing computer games at like 3 and 4 and she read early and is now 8 and reading at like 2 grade levels ahead. We used to go to restaurants when she was like 5-6 and she could read the menu. I have no idea where the fine line is, though, with being a screenhead or being behind the other kids. I guess we will both be figuring that out soon.