Me & iPad = LOVE-HATE

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So. I recently watched the movie Babies. If you haven't already seen it, go rent it. Wow, there is no talking, just amazing video footage of 4 different families across the world. You don't even need narration, it's just so interesting to watch them at play and at work. Not to mention, the colors, the settings, the diverse cultures all made it so beautiful and fascinating - how babies and environments can be so different, yet so similar. 

I specifically remember falling in love with the babies from Africa - the siblings played with rocks and stones, they walked around without diapers and would lay and play in the dirt. They were adorable. Chubby. Breast fed. No schedules, little supervision, they fought, and they bathed with not water but saliva. It was so crazy but LOVELY. 

It made me rememeber that all the bikes, matchbox cars, markers and {for sure} my iPad just aren't necessary. Many of our toys here are hand-me-downs but there are just so many of them. And anywhere we go my son has to ask "are there cars there?" He tells me he dreams about cars. At the zoo he wanted to see the "car animals" {whatever that might be}. He tells me that when he gets older he will buy a car. Just last night he said "when Santa comes, he will bring me a motorcycle"! At least once a day he pulls a chair up to my desk, and says he wants to "look at cars on the computer". He tells me he wants to read the Cars book. Watch the movie Cars. Oh and he found a dime on the floor the other day and said "Oh wow, Mom look, I found money, now I can buy a car. Can we go to Target"? 

He's only two for crying out loud. Not even two and a half. 

Oh and forget about playing out in Nature - when I suggest it, he tells me "no, I'm gonna get all dirty!" How about playing in the rain? "NO. I'm gonna get all wet!" He doesn't even like being naked. Can you believe it? He always wants to wear his pants. 

Even sadder - he knows how to work my iPhone. And...

{humbling...here we go...}

Just a few days ago, we were driving to the airport and he says to me, "oh no! you forgot the iPad at the house."

I replied, "no, it's here, but you can't watch it until we get on the plane." 

[insert tantrum]

note: his dad has an iPad and we downloaded Nemo. Within one hour, my son could open it, unlock it, find the movie, start it, turn up the volume, stop it...etc." 

This is just pathetic. I mean, why? Why can't he play with rocks? Or stones? What have I done? I don't even feel like I overdo it with the toys or gadgets. He hasn't been to Target more than a couple times. I guess it only takes once though, no? And I'm not a clean freak either. I am that girl at beach that will be covered in sand and still puts on her shoes. 

Should I be worried? 

I mean, I HATE TV myself and I don't ever use the iPad. Yes, now I'm going to be THAT overparanoid person and go there right now - the EMFs. You know, those things that microwaves give off? I am afraid of them. So I don't like to sit in front of the computer for too long. 

Even the extremely low frequency EMFs "produced from radiation from power lines, home appliances, TVs, microwaves, computer screens, wireless devices, etc. all increase the risks for cancers, especially leukemia and brain cancers. More commonly, continuous exposure to electromagnetic fields can increase the frequency of headaches, migraines, chronic fatigue, dizziness, nausea, stress and environmental sensitivities." 

{see Complete Candida Guidebook, by Jeanne Marie Martin / Zoltan P Rona, M.D., p 280-282}

The iPad might teach your child a few things, right? But, you don't want your child to learn everything from a one-dimensional standpoint. Do you?

It is our fault? Yes. But it's the fault of our society, too. No?

I mean, could you imagine if I tried to keep my son from technology, he would either never come home and be at his friend's house all day everyday, or he would be a total dummy by the age of 14 while all the other kids in his class would be building web sites. Right? I mean, it's our world right now. The better you know the computer the better you will be in school, at a job, etc.

I think I would rather ditch the Baby Einstein crap and buy the iPad to use when it's totally necessary: at the dinner table. Kidding. 

But seriously. Not only is this new technology HELPFUL during those times when you just CAN'T take it anymore, {let's all be thankful for the parents of Steve Jobs}, but we also can't keep our children from the direction in which our technology-based society is headed {again, Steve Jobs is to blame}. 

I just learned that the average 22 year old, who meets a cute boy, only TEXTS. They do not call each other. EVER. That's a no-no until the second date. Or more. 

Have you ever tried calling that same 22 yr old girl to babysit? Did she ignore your call and not call you back? Well, have you tried texting her? You should. She will respond within seconds, literally, seconds. 

Face it ladies {and guys too} we're old! By protecting our children from the iPad means keeping her from being a social, hip, smart kid in the 21st century. 

But, there still are those child-rearing fundamentals that will NEVER change - parent to child interaction. 

And if you haven't seen the movie Babies, you gotta download it on your iPad {wink}