A Wired Life

I suspect my household could not get more wired and I can't stop wondering how this technology will impact my blossoming toddler and pre-schooler.

Think 1 Desktop with 2 humongous monitors to make web design and toggling between websites ultra seamless. One laptop for Mommy to blog. A keyboard for our TV to surf the web with our Nintendo Wii. Two bonus extra mini “netbook” laptops so we can be ultra mobile on the road or on any floor of the house to jump online. And let’s not forget our iPod Touch – our super powerful and sleek ticket to unlimited info with a few taps of our fingertips.

Dad and I find our wired life ultra convenient and intellectually stimulating – and we believe it enriches the lives of our children as the potential for entertainment and education is unlimited. The internet is literally our window to the world. We google pictures or video of whatever our 3 year old aspires to learn. A few months ago we googled photos of a chrysalis when we found the cocoon of a Monarch Butterfly. Lately she’s been asking for Tornados thanks to her obsession with the Wizard of Oz. And with Santa on the way, I bet we’ll soon be googling visions of sugarplums and instant renditions of favorite holiday carols.

Kenzie, just over 3, loves typing on the laptop and manipulates the iPod Touch perfectly for a number of games and to find her favorite songs. I’m mortified to admit I think she can navigate it even better than me. Even Kyle, almost 1, loves to carry around the iPod Touch to boogie down to his favorite tune - Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom. Forget about Elmo if anything silver, shiny, and potentially electronic is within sight

If my kids 3 and under are wired already, what will their life look like in 2028? I know technology will be an integral part of their lives but I can’t fathom just how wired they’ll be 20 years from now.

Do you think we're letting our kids use our high tech gadgets too soon? We love our wired lives, but i wonder if my kiddos would be better off spending all their play time with traditional toys like blocks, puzzles, dolls, and trains instead of us incorporating all this media and technology into playtime. Or is adapting to technology for this generation just as important as learning the ABC's and 123's?

Segments of this post were originally posted on Colleen's blog, Classy Mommy