Computers and kids

A thoughtful gesture from a friend has left me feeling conflicted.

A friend of Mr Moo's gave us an old computer that has heaps of games on it, for children, our kids age. It didn't sit unnoticed for long. On Saturday, a rainy afternoon, we plugged it in and turned it on. There is no room, in this room, for another computer, so it went into Spunky Monkey's room and onto his bed side desk. The afternoon soon disappeared. I was happy enough, they were perhaps learning something and I could get on, uninterrupted, with a few little jobs.

But on Sunday night I found Spunky Monkey sitting in the dark playing games after bedtime. He sometimes sneaks his lamp back on after bedtime and will draw for a while before putting himself back to bed. I don't mind. But this computer thing, did not sit well with me.

On Monday morning after coming home from school drop off, I went straight to hang the washing. I could not hear Miss Moo Moo singing and playing with her dolls in her room, as she usually did. I came back inside to see where she was, it was so quiet. I found her sitting, transfixed at the computer. She had been there all morning before school too.

I wasn't expecting to be monitoring computer time so soon. So yesterday I took the computer out of Spunky Monkey's room and returned his textas, coloured paper and scissors to his desk. Last night, the kids spent over 40 minutes drawing before bed.

I know I have made the right decision for my family.


(a gum tree that is 200 years old, this is part of a series of seven gum tree drawings - Spunky Monkey)



(a T-Rex, that possibly started out as a gum tree? - Miss Moo Moo)