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This is somewhat tangential to the story, but I think virtual painting, while novel, deprives a young child of the sensory experience necessary at that age.

by cgs 17y ago

ben_straub 17y ago
The existence of computers, and increasingly realistic behavior of hardware and software, does not deprive anyone of anything. Rather, raising children entirely on Surface and TV, or with no technology at all, leaves them ill-prepared for the real world. I'm hoping to expose my children to all kinds of technology. I hope they come away from these experiences with the same sense of wonder and awe as I do. But I'm still planning on cleaning finger paint off the walls.
mbrubeck 17y ago
Paints and paper are also an abstract technology, and time spend working on paper takes kids away from walking and other physical, outdoor experiences. Obviously it can go too far, but most of us feel that painting and drawing and writing and reading have become part of the appropriate mix of experiences for children in our culture. Computers are no different. I do make sure my toddler spends almost all her time away from glowing screens, but I also remember that I first really got into computers over twenty years ago by spending hours with MacPaint. My daughter is growing up in a world where her parents work all day on computers, play on computers, and talk to friends and family through computers. She's going to be influenced by that, and I'd like it to be as an active participant and not just an observer.
- frossie 17y ago
  Also in my experience, kids are less interested in computers than we were precisely because they are so ubiquitous. Back to the original artice: We ruined my 2 year old by letting her play with an iPhone (which she can handle perfectly well - find videos, look at photos as she pleases). Now she expects every screen to be multi-touch. I haven't tried her on the mouse - I figure technology will soon catch up with her expectations :-)

This is somewhat tangential to the story, but I think virtual painting, while novel, deprives a young child of the sensory experience necessary at that age.

by cgs 17y ago

This is somewhat tangential to the story, but I think virtual painting, while novel, deprives a young child of the sensory experience necessary at that age.

ben_straub 17y ago

The existence of computers, and increasingly realistic behavior of hardware and software, does not deprive anyone of anything. Rather, raising children entirely on Surface and TV, or with no technology at all, leaves them ill-prepared for the real world. I'm hoping to expose my children to all kinds of technology. I hope they come away from these experiences with the same sense of wonder and awe as I do. But I'm still planning on cleaning finger paint off the walls.

mbrubeck 17y ago

Paints and paper are also an abstract technology, and time spend working on paper takes kids away from walking and other physical, outdoor experiences. Obviously it can go too far, but most of us feel that painting and drawing and writing and reading have become part of the appropriate mix of experiences for children in our culture. Computers are no different. I do make sure my toddler spends almost all her time away from glowing screens, but I also remember that I first really got into computers over twenty years ago by spending hours with MacPaint. My daughter is growing up in a world where her parents work all day on computers, play on computers, and talk to friends and family through computers. She's going to be influenced by that, and I'd like it to be as an active participant and not just an observer.

frossie 17y ago
Also in my experience, kids are less interested in computers than we were precisely because they are so ubiquitous. Back to the original artice: We ruined my 2 year old by letting her play with an iPhone (which she can handle perfectly well - find videos, look at photos as she pleases). Now she expects every screen to be multi-touch. I haven't tried her on the mouse - I figure technology will soon catch up with her expectations :-)