As a regular habit, I don’t like my kids on the computer. Do you?
Lately, as I excitedly and frantically pursue butyrate and resistant starch knowledge from infinity and beyond, I have had my nose and fingers buried in the computer. Monkey see, monkey do. My kids followed suit and had their paws all over the iPad, phone, and laptops. I had to come up with a computer rule in our house that seemed reasonable and fair.
Our computer rule:
The computer is to be used for learning or correspondence.
Are you doing that? No? Then get off. Are you? Okay. Sorry then. You’re good to go…
- My kids adore Pinterest, but they were pinning and never doing. Be a doer, not a Pinner. Actually do your Pins, and you will earn more Pinning privileges.
- Solitaire definitely doesn’t count. I don’t care if every single one of your grandparents play it in front of you. It rots the brain and is addictive. However, Solitaire with a deck of cards is supreme. Go for it. (I seriously have the best parents and in-laws. I once toyed with the idea of sending my kids to my parents so I didn’t mess them up. Sorry I can’t control my mouth, Mom. 🙂 It hurt too much trying.)
- Blogging is correspondence and learning. Yes, you may have your own blog after you have 20 posts typed up, edited, corrected and ready to go.
I had to change my patterns.
I have taken to printing out the research articles I want to read. I carry a pen, pad of paper, dozens of articles and a clipboard around. My articles are being written the antique way. My blog looks that way, too…
But guess what! The monkeys like it…
And so do I. Never forget. Monkey see, monkey do. What do you do?
~~Terri
The HSD 
Good rule. This post goes to the core of parenting and leadership, the highest standard: leading by example.
Yeah. It stinks. 🙂 (Just kidding. Purposeful parenting rocks. I just want them to know we are who we say we are. I think that’s the gift my parents gave to my sisters and I. Makes for tougher blogging, though.) Thanks for leaving a comment and have some great runs this weekend!
We are years away from this issue, but your approach is fantastic! I’ll be tucking this away in my toolbox. Thanks!
Glad you “stopped in!” This “rule” has really helped us out this month. It also helps when I tell them what I am reading on the computer, and they have to tell me what they’re reading. That way they hear about whatever homeschooling technique, news clip, or nutrition pearl I’m picking up at the time. They internalize what I am learning about or typing about. I wish you and your family well and when the time comes, hope you’ll have a great approach you are content with regarding the computer! Take good care!
Sounds very “Charlotte Mason” of you 🙂 I’m a little obsessed with her right now, my apologies.
No apologies needed! LOL! She’s great! I certainly apply some of her methods, although I consider myself an “eclectic” homeschooler.
Learning about all the different methods and philosophies had been the most interesting part of learning about homeschooling.
I know! And then trying them out is fun! What works for Child A or not? Will that work as well for Child B? Or not? Hope the kids are doing great and their conditions are “stable” or “improving!” (I “visited” last night. to Mathair Fiona 🙂 . I should know this, but does Mathair mean Mother? Sorry for the silly question.)
The kiddos are doing great. The seizure issue is a bigger deal than the hemangioma, but it’s been over a week seizure free so I’m thinking this new medication is doing the trick. Let’s hope I didn’t jinx us because the last time I had that thought I was wrong.
And yes, Mathair does mean mother. It’s not a silly question. Irish isn’t a language one runs across very often 🙂
No jinxes, please!!!!! Thanks for the Irish lesson!
No problem 🙂
No jinxes!!!!!! Thanks for the language lesson!
Our youngest uses my computer to watch what ever video/band/check facebook some evenings, provided she’s done her chores/homework and she uses it for Study Island, or getting research for homework.
As for me, I’ve got a spiral notebook for lists, thoughts, things I want to look up, and if I come up with an idea, I jot it down. Reading on the computer hurts my eyes after a while so any long reading, I print off. I keep the articles in a folder in case I need them again. I don’t do Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter, though May set me up a Twitter, she neglected to tell me how to use it. (that’s a good thing though) I have a feeling though if I did become a pinner, it would cut into my doer time, and I like being a doer. (I really like having them do their pins to earn more pins, great idea!!)
I agree, solitaire on the computer is addictive!!!
Thanks for commenting! Ours are still pretty young so I can get away with less computer time for them right now, but I sadly know dynamics will change through the years. I’ll bet school assigns a bit of work via the computer nowadays, yes? I have not heard of Study Island…
Your system sounds similar to mine: notebook for lists and thoughts and printing off and stacking of what I want to read. Works even when the computer crashes, as long as I have enough articles printed off to read. When May explains Twitter, will you take notes and forward them to me? I haven’t got the hang of that yet. I use Pinterest for recipes extensively, and my kids love to pin crafts.
I stay away from computer solitaire. I can see how it draws our parents. I won’t play with fire…
Have a super weekend!
Writing instead of typing is a good exercise for coordination as well as critical thinking. “Is this worth the space?” It also encourages editing, I think.
Hello! Thanks for your insightful comment! Those are great points about coordination, critical thinking, and trying to streamline thoughts! I am glad you pointed them out to me and to anyone who may read comments, too! They will become part of my day-to-day logic regarding writing on paper! I hope you have a SUPER weekend!
You carry “a pen, pad of paper, dozens of articles and a clipboard around”? WOW! I am several years older than you, but I am heading in the opposite direction! I spent a LOT of my time doing research, and over the past two years I have slowly been getting rid of all my books (my library had over 6,000 volumes). I bought a high-speed scanner and have been taking my books to a local print shop so they can cut of the spines of the books — then I feed the books into the scanner and save them searchable PDF files (it takes just a few minutes per book). Thanks to Dropbox, once I save a file on one computer it also gets placed on my other computers (office, upstairs, downstairs, and laptop) and the files are also accessible on my iPad and iPhone. Not only does this make my work easier, but when I die my kids won’t have to bring in a 40′ dumpster to clean out my office.
I would like to do this SO much. But it would take hours of research for the best products, figuring out how to set up a drop box account, scanning, organizing files, figuring out my iPad and phone, etc. Good grief, I can’t even figure out how to get nice looking photos on my blog right now–takes too long! I figure when they get old enough, these will be GREAT usage of their computer time! They will figure it all out for me and teach me how! Plus, as they age, their schooling will take less of my hands on time and I can migrate this way. Right now, I want to nurture in them the gift of relationships, playing alone/with sisters, making crafts, reading, baking/cooking, etc. Your system sounds AMAZING. Mine works for now because I can highlight a lot in the articles and quickly pull articles back out, compare references, etc. I can lay all the articles by each other. Bring on the dumpster! Well, I hear the family getting ready for the IU game so I’d better go partake and get off the machine. Hope you get some good riding in this weekend!
You’re a rockstar, Terri! I love that you are modeling the right way to deal with technology. I like your blogging rule, and all the others as well! 😀
Am I a rockstar as in Kiss or Aerosmith or Brittany Spears or Tyler Swift? I always liked Kiss when I was a wee one when I watched them on MTV at a babysitter’s house. They scared me a bit, though! Wow. What make up! Okay. Seriously, thank you. We are trying our best here to make sure my kids, who are growing up in the age of technology, learn that relationships, especially family, matter. I’ve got one researching Big Macs for her “blog” and the “healthiest foods at McDonald’s.” Ha, ha! The other is a crafter (Pinner). Have a great Sunday, tomorrow!
Eww, not either girl you mentioned. Blah! I met KISS once. I was working at The Palace of Auburn Hills (where the Detroit Pistons play), and I was back stage. Anyway, here they come walking by and I must have been staring at Gene Simmons because he did the tongue thing at me! lol I was 16 and in awe. 😛
Anyway, yes technology is what they’re growing up with , for sure. I love that Maggie spends her time online writing novels and helping other teens stay inspired to write on NaNoWriMo. 😀 Joshua only plays games online occasionally.
The tongue! That is crazy! I can’t believe I am acquainted with somebody who got that!
Haha, I know, right?! 😛
I think we are monkeys over here too. I do limit our time on electronics, but it does get harder as they get older. My older two use their laptops for school…programming, lectures, Word etc. But we do try and keep them for school work and not surfing or playing. I too am limiting my time to lead by example. But I’m so nuts that I turn our WiFi off at night, and we all ‘ground’ after using electronics 🙂
Hi Irish Mum of monkeys who drive you nutty! 🙂 That’s a good idea! Turn off the WiFi! I think I’m going to do that for Thanksgiving when all my family comes to visit! (That’d really get me in trouble with my Dad. I’d better think twice.) I’m trying to lead by example, too. I look around and I think the coast is clear–they haven’t pestered me for about 7 minutes–I’ll check e-mail, text a sister, or something–and it never fails, they ALWAYS pop in right as I start. Snagged.
You’re absolutely right with Monkey see, Monkey do! Thank you for sharing! My 2-yr old son knows how to turn on and off the laptop, watch youtube and play a video using VLC, uninstall my Android apps and even posted a photo on my Instagram page! Crazy but amazing. As much as possible, I do my best to keep him away from these gadgets and let him play outdoors. I guess I have to learn the hard way! 😀
Hello, Rea! Wow! He’s amazing! Put him to work! I could use a technology manager over here! Seriously, while it is great that our kids can do these things, we know that play and interactions are things that must be learned as young children and can perhaps never be learned later in life. Play is the work of children…I wish you much success in blogging and parenting! Take care! Thanks for your comment!
hi also home educate my children. i completely agree with what you’re saying. as my eldest is only 7, they cannot be alone on the computer. it is for education but sometimes i have allowed them do a finding object game. i have noticed their obsession to get on the laptop has sky rocketed since i first let them on it a few months ago, so no more games. they have more than enough toys, board games and puzzles so they don’t need the laptop for it and their obsession is extremely unsettling.
i will be teaching them the basics but that can wait a while-so we use the computer for research etc….
Hello! I’m glad you left a comment! The escalating computer use that happens is unsettling. That’s a good way to put the observation! It’s like a monster that grows! And then they fight over it, too! Kids need to be kids and learn how to take care of their own boredom through crafts, drawing, play, music, etc! Hope home educating is going well! Warmest wishes!