my son is 3 and he started using the computer earlier this year. He has a old sprirt so his teachers think he is a 30 yrs old in a 3 yr old body. He always carried a computer around with him and he learns very quickly. His school even had to move him upstairs with the 4 and 5 yr old class because he was to advanced for the normal 3 yr old class.  I normally go to nickjr.com and i'll find a game for him and give him the mouse and let him go for it. I don't have to tell him what to do or anything. I showed him once on how to navigate the mouse and he just got the hang of it. But i only let him stay on there for a little bit, because if i don't check on him he'll be on there all day. Also his dad is a kitchen designer and works with computers all day and his grandfather works for NASA and he's very good with computers. So i think it was just pasted down to him.

Mimi

I'm Nanny to an 11 month old child.  Whereas she does not play on the computer, she understands that the mouse can make the pictures and sounds change.  I have recently begun using a site called Starfall.com with her; she sits on my lap as we 'learn' the letters and sounds they make.  She loves it and wants to do it on a daily basis now.

Granny

Fascinating.

I went to a seminar about this very thing, the fact that us "crypt-aged goth moms" (and I really like that!) are digital immigrants and our children are born in the digital age and therefore are digital natives. It was fascinating to discover that because of computer use, different shapes and colors get my attention than get my kids' attention. I can sit down with a good book or assignment and really soak up the black and white (like on this screen right now) but my kids are more attracted to different areas of the page, bright colors and movement. Of course marketers learn this and gear stuff to the market. 

But I digress. I think it is important to teach them to use a computer but even more important from my perspective, you know I really really am old, my 18-year old never had a keyboarding class. He types now because of chatting with friends, and says he knows the left side much better than the right side of the keyboard (because of video games that required use of left hand on keyboard and right hand on the mouse). He NEVER was offered a typing class (jjj space jkj space) and yet was required to turn in assignments - typed; on computer disk; in Powerpoint; or other media where he HAD to use the keyboard. It would have helped him (and me LOL!) if he'd had a serious grasp of keyboard early on--but still, I am not keen on my kid getting carpal tunnel either. SO that is part two of this, first teach them the keyboard, second make sure you keep it as ergonomic as possible.

Of course lots of kids type with their thumbs without looking.  This is why the unipocket was banned from school. Though I am big into communicating, I still am very old school about WHEN and WHERE you do your communicating. NOT while driving, working, or talking to a person face to face. Seriously. It's still rude to us old folks. (We won't tell you what our mothers would say about muffin tops either. They're still wearing girdles. :D)

Heidi Awbrey

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originally posted by AgingGothMom

 

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originally posted by Mom1093

http://www.starfall.com/   is a great site for kids.  My DS -5 actually goes to public school on-line through K12.  I have just enrolled my 11 & 12 yr olds in it also. 

 

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I have been researching this K12 program online Mom1093 as well.  I would be interested in your opinions on it as we are seriously considering incorporating this into our homeschooling should we decide to go that route.  Would love to hear what you think!

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Musings from the Crypt: The Confessions of an Aging Goth Mom

It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in
              delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
                                          -Carl Sagan

CLUB 100

I was really impressed that it is not just a computer course.  The amount of text books you get, he had more than my other two got in public school.   The only thing I suppliment is with art, science, music.  Here K goes a 1/2 day & K12 does not provide that for 1/2 day. If we were in a state that went a full day they would.

My 6th & 7th graders will start on Monday. I'm pretty impressed with how soon they got them enrolled. Their books will be here by Wed.

Any problems that I have had, I have called & someone was able to help me or answer any questions I may have.

My son who just turned 3 absolutely LOVES the computer!!!  I make sure everything he plays is educational.  He started right before he turned 3 and we played together and watched some videos, but then he wanted to take controle... now he just makes me sit there and watch while he has all the fun... Sproutonline.com is his favorite.  He actually navigates around the entire site by himself... Do i feel guily about him spending over an hour sometimes glued to the computer yeah... but hey, through it's helped him learn his letters, numbers, memory (yes there's actually mix and match memory games that he is GREAT at) colors... and honestly if he has fun doing it, who am i to take that learning away from him!

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.

As a mom and a teacher, I feel that it is important to introduce kids to computers at a young age. I also am well aware that this also comes with many fears and challenges as internet predators have become a pressing concern and children are becoming a part of the social networking community at increasingly younger ages. This is why I have recently published a children's picture book entitled Little Red Hoodie, which was recently featured on NBC4. In this story the Big Bad Wolf plays the role of an internet predator who posing as Granny and sending Little Red messages in an attempt to lure her into his trap. I feel that this is an important book for famlies, and would love for as many children as possible to be introduced to it. For more information about the book please visit www.pagesofwonder.com/kruse. Thanks!!