I've been a mom for two years now and the one thing I've never gotten into is television shows for kids. I'm judged by a lot of parents because of this. I understand. it's simply not normal to have a toddler these days and not put the TV or iPad on for them daily or every few days. My son Amani doesn't own a piece of technology yet and we don't even have cable.
I know I'm probably one of few moms thats like this. So I've been asked "what do you do all day with him?" "Don't you get tempted?" Or just simply "why?" (This question usually comes with a side eye or very confused look)
Let me clarify that the reason I don't have Amani watching TV or playing with an IPad isn't because of some strange conspiracy about what technology does to children. It's not about thinking I'm a better mom than those who do allow it either and it's not that I'm not tempted to let him. It's just a personal preference with personal reasons behind it.
First, I tried it. I would let him play around with my phone for a while and downloaded some games that were supposed to be educational for him. Just like any other kid, he loved it. He wanted to play with it for a very long period and as a first time mom i thought "hey whatever
Keeps him happy". Well, at the end of the day I felt strange. I felt as though I didn't really spend time with him. I felt like I missed out on him as a whole and he missed out on me. We usually have great conversations together, he loves to play with his mommy and I felt like the phone was taking over that feeling I got when he discovered something new through play and I'm right there to witness it and witness him learning about the real world. That's when I decided that it wasn't for me.
So, what do we do all day instead?
Here's a short list
-Read Read Read
-piggy back back rides
-build forts with sheets
-paint
-learn something new everyday
-sing songs
-make up songs
-dance til were exhausted
-now that it's warming up (kind of) we play outside
-work on projects
-clean up
-imagination games
Most of the day is spent just chatting with one another. Even if I have no clue what he's saying.
Now, I know the importance of technology for now and future generations so I'm by no means anti technology lol (I love my iPhone haha) I don't want him to grow up technologically illiterate so I do allow him every now and then to mess around with the phones and what not. He's great at using them. Eventually he will have his own iPad and phone and he will want nothing to do with having these fun moments with me and his daddy and his brother. It sounds a little selfish, I know. It is.
So for now, while he still thinks Were the coolest, funnest, funniest people on the planet I want to enjoy every bit of him.
I want his eyes focused not on a screen but what's around him instead. Whether it's Just me and him. Or his daddy and him. Or his cousins, his aunts and uncles and him.
I want to be his teacher, his friend, and I want him to indulge himself into learning and discovering the physical world around him for now.
I want him to prefer to interact with his little brother and build a bond with him instead of just the cute silly characters he sees on the screen.
I want him to learn naturally how to contain himself while we're out in public without having to sacrifice him not mentally being where we are because he's so focused on something else.
I realize that all of these things I mentioned can probably be done simultaneously, that is why I began by saying it's just a personal preference for us as a family. It has been working great for us. One thing I always say to other moms is "Do what works for you and YOUR family not what the next Mom is doing".
We all don't have to be parenting the same way in order to be raising our children right. :)
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