The Juicy Mummy: Gadgets for children. Yay or nay?

I have been following the #prochoice hashtag on Twitter. This time, it wasn't about abortion but gentle-birthing. A topic I had a lot of interest in during my second pregnancy.

I have a lot to write about this and I have started putting my thoughts into a draft but with all the articles and news that are being shared lately, I chose not to publish it - just yet.

What I can share with you is, I agree that I need to be the one deciding what's best for my body and my baby. However, I do not condone any act that can possibly be harmful for me or my baby.

It is good to do your research but make sure you are properly informed. Don't just jump into the bandwagon, just so. Period.

Anyway, speaking about choice, hubby and I decided long time ago that we will not be one of those parents who will easily hand their kid a gadget just to shut him/her up. Of course, we understand the advantages and disadvantages of gadgets. We are not saying that any kid with access to gadgets will eventually grow up with terrible aggression or will have problem with their brains development. We are just not a fan of such convenient parenting, if that makes sense.

As parents, we would like to try our best in comforting them when they are unhappy. We would like to entertain them when they are bored. We would like to play with them when they are high on sugar. And after all the efforts, if by giving a limited access to gadgets can make them feel better, why (~~the hell~~) not? Sure, they can have their time playing games on iPad or watching cartoons on iPad but it must be controllable.

I know kids who are so smart. There is one boy who was able to read his ABC at the age of 2 and half. And all he ever done is playing with his iPad. And his social skill isn't bad too. Wow!

We are aware that a lot of learning happens before the age of five. And if possible, we would like to maximise the learning process during this stage. At the same time, we would very much like our children to have as much fun as we did during our time.

I did not grow up with a lot of toys. However, I was exposed to more traditional play. I played with my friends almost every evening (after I was done with homework that was) and I can still remember the joy until this day. I remember each and every one of my friends in a very special way eventhough we are no longer in touch. It is amazing what long-term effects traditional play can have on one’s brain.

My hubby on the other hand used to get a toy each month. Just one, so he learnt to appreciate his toys. If you come to our house, you will see how well he takes care of his toys. He still have his childhood toys to date. All nicely displayed in a glass cabinet. He wouldn't even let Isaac or Sophie play with them.

Non of us had the luxury of playing with gadgets in our time. Of course, gadgets were not easily available back then. Owning a PC at home was already good enough. Today, every household has at least two gadgets. We have about 10 gadgets at home ourselves.

There are a lot of studies that proved gadgets can cause a lot of bad effects. But there are also studies that show otherwise. My suggestion is, take everything with a pinch of salt. After all, most, if not all parents want the best for their kids.

For us, we give Isaac an hour a day during weekend and school holiday. And sometimes we let him be on iPad or PlayStation as a reward when he does something good. As for Sophie, we only started introducing iPad to her recently (in an effort to keep her on her carseat). She is not really a fan of it though. She will only watch her cartoons on iPad during car rides, or when we give it to her. Even that, she will only watch it for 15 minutes? But it's way too early to tell. Let's see :)

Nah, some pictures of Sophie on iPad :)