| I was recently talking to a friend of mine who is | | | | have a discussion about what is said. Get your |
| struggling to get her son to read. It got me | | | | kids into it from an early age. |
| thinking. The truth is that hardly anyone, adults or | | | | The same applies to TV. Yes, there are a lot of |
| children, has time to sit down and read these | | | | useless programs on TV in my opinion, but there |
| days. Of course people do MAKE time to watch | | | | are also good ones, that actually bring knowledge. |
| American Idol, or Lost or CSI or whatever other | | | | Some kids' programs are very educational and |
| empty TV show. Yes, sorry, I mean this. These | | | | then you have the Discovery Channel, the History |
| are 3 examples but there are many more. I am | | | | Channel, etc. Instead of quietening your kids with |
| talking about TV programs that either show the | | | | mindless cartoons, try a Discovery program on |
| worst possible side of human beings or that give | | | | sea life. Don't get me wrong, I love cartoons too, |
| people a completely distorted version of reality. If | | | | every now and then. Some are better than |
| I watched the local news, I would never come | | | | others. But there has to be variety. Children, like |
| out of the house. People overseas have called me | | | | all people, respond to what they are given. If you |
| to ask if I was ok after hearing some news on | | | | feed them violence from an early age, they'll |
| their local TV... Across an ocean, thousands of | | | | enjoy it because it will have become the norm for |
| miles away. What is the point of that? | | | | them and they will want more. If you feed them |
| So yes, it is a shame that people don't read much | | | | knowledge, instruction, education from an early |
| because I do believe that there are a lot less | | | | age, they will want more of that. |
| mediocre books than mediocre TV shows. But | | | | Games consoles are the same. They have games |
| here we are, that's the reality and there is no | | | | that require some thinking and others that consist |
| doubt that children respond a lot better to TV | | | | of shooting, or racing or pretending you are |
| and iPods than a good old bunch of pages. Note | | | | playing sport. If the weather is good enough to go |
| that it might have to do with the fact that most | | | | outside and you like soccer or football or baseball, |
| parents who want peace and quiet at home have | | | | go and play it, do the real thing. If it is too cold or |
| a tendency to just sit their kids in front of the | | | | rainy and you are stuck inside, pick a game that |
| box from a very early age... You can't blame the | | | | will teach you something, about finances for |
| little darlings. | | | | instance or managing your future, or building a |
| So let's make the most of this situation. | | | | business. There are games like that. |
| Ultimately, why do we want kids to read? Just | | | | Computer use also needs to be taught to kids |
| for the skill or for the content of what they | | | | early. Mastering Microsoft office is a must. Get |
| read? Past a certain age, it has to be for the | | | | them to write their journal on the computer for |
| content. The actual skill should be drilled early on | | | | instance, get them to play around with |
| and if you have teenagers who can't read, that's | | | | PowerPoint when they have school projects, |
| another problem and not the topic of this article. | | | | show them Publisher, etc. All these are essential |
| A couple of years ago, I was given an iPod. I had | | | | skills. The Internet is also a great source of good |
| never wanted one because I don't listen to music | | | | or bad and you have to pick and choose. There |
| much and I couldn't imagine myself walking around | | | | are a lot of interactive sites for kids that can be |
| with my earphones jamming to my songs. But | | | | great. All the communities are good too if they |
| then I was introduced around the same time to | | | | are used for a reasonable amount of time per |
| audio books. Wow! What a discovery! My iPod | | | | day. It is very easy to get carried away on the |
| follows me everywhere. I hardly ever watch TV | | | | net and spend hours literally wasting time. But |
| and whenever I am doing something that doesn't | | | | there are also a lot of things to be learned. even |
| require a high level of concentration, like cooking, | | | | just the technical aspects of using a computer. |
| ironing, cleaning the house, sorting out mail, etc, I | | | | Teach your kids to be wise on the net: for |
| just put the iPod on and I just "read". I mean I | | | | instance, make sure they select what pictures |
| am listening really, but as I am not prepared to | | | | they put in their profile and teach them about the |
| make the time to actually sit and read. I just kill | | | | kind of image they want to project. They can |
| two birds with one stone. I have "read" dozens of | | | | also learn about advertising themselves or an |
| books in the last couple of years and have learnt | | | | event on one of those communities. It can teach |
| so much! It has been the best education of my | | | | them about marketing at an early age. |
| life. I have grown in ways I didn't think were | | | | Technology is full of riches. It has to be used |
| possible. | | | | wisely and kids have to be shown - ASAP - the |
| Now I am sure that your kids have an MP3 player | | | | positive, educational ways they can use it so that |
| of some description. Have you thought about | | | | they will ask for more. Don't blame violent TV or |
| looking into audio books for them. Or simply some | | | | games, worthless TV shows etc for children's lack |
| audio files that they can have in their iPod and | | | | of interest in school. Take your part of |
| that they would listen to. Have a mix of some | | | | responsibility: you are the ones to decide what |
| music and some educational stuff. Do the same | | | | your kids do or don't. Then work with what you |
| yourself: when you are driving somewhere, let the | | | | have got and use this great tool that we call |
| whole family listen to your favorite audio books, | | | | technology to your advantage. |