Be the change...: your baby can app!

i was over on cafe mom this morning, reading the stir and i read a post which debated the topic of self-help books and apps for children. are you kidding me? the talk was about the newest app on the IPAD called the grouchies. this app helps to teach your children how to deal with their emotions. well, this topic brought up the next topic of all of the self help books for children, now available on amazon and in libraries around the world. on cafemom, she was just saying exactly what i feel... if you're going to let your child use these apps or books, make sure you sit down and go over them with your child. don't just open the IPAD or the book and leave the child alone to make sense of it all. i'm sure these apps can be very helpful for many children and mothers/fathers if used correctly. they aren't meant to be used as babysitters or to make life explanations easier for us as parents. it is ultimately still our job to make sure our children learn what is necessary.

this really got me thinking about education and playtime for the newest of generations. the dynamics have changed so much. we have gotten so lazy in teaching our children. while i do believe technology is obviously very important for my child this day in age, i don't believe anything can replace good old-fashioned learning. you know, the imaginative and hands-on way? i watch my daughter develop daily. she does have a lot of toys with all the bells and whistles and she likes them sometimes, but when i see her grow the most is when she's left to use her imagination outside in nature, or playing with pots and pans or blocks or just coloring. when she's left alone with some sticks and her imagination, i can really see her wheels turning. when she's given blocks, just plain old blocks, i watch her become more mechanical and detailed with her hands. whatever happened to fingerpainting? we still do it here at my house, but i know so many little kids today that wouldn't know fingerpaint if they were swimming in it. all these little kids with their DS systems and their cellphones and their mini laptops... geeeeeez.

like i said, i'm not knocking technology at all. i mean, i wouldn't even be able to write this blog if it weren't for technology, but i think there's a time and a place for it. as for me and my daughter, we'll continue to incorporate nature and good, old-fashioned hands-on fun!

Here are some pictures of my sweet girl having some real good fun!!!