Gadget Inspector: Pre-K Computer
The brave new world of toddler PC games.
by Ondine Galsworth
January 18, 2008
I guess I should be bummed out that my baby boy is missing out on the "delightful things happening on screen," but he just can't sit still, ever. Is his inability to enjoy baby computer games going to demolish his self esteem or keep him from someday having a seatI'm willing to risk my child's development for now, and renounce him to the wild and unruly 3D terrain around him. on the stock exchange? Probably not. For now, his world is one of constant movement, full of objects that he can roll, drag or slide around. And though baby software claims to "improve memory and self expression" and "strengthen the child's confidence and positive self-image," I'm willing to risk my child's development for now, and renounce him to the wild and unruly 3D terrain around him. Call me prehistoric, but his time sitting in front of a screen will come soon enough — according to statistics, at least four to six hours a day in front of the computer and TV for most kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no TV or video for kids under two. Some studies have shown that even having adult TV or electronic media on in the background interferes with a tot's play, and that too much screen time helps foster childhood obesity and the attention span of a gnat. Mostly what toddlers need, say doctors, is human interaction, ideally with their parents.
Not that baby media is the root of all evil. True, some studies suggest that the rapid pace of programming alters brain development, but there are other studies that directly contradict this. Perhaps when he's a bit older, my son will have fun amusing himself with the likes of Comfy, if he can ever slow down long enough. But to be honest, I hope he's too busy climbing trees and digging holes in the yard to give a hoot about computer games.
©2008 Ondine Galsworth and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Ondine Galsworth is working on a novel about her experiences as a go-go dancer
and a book about her new addiction, the rodeo. A New York native, she now lives in
New Jersey.
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