My 4 year old daughter, J , borrowed my I pad to “read” a story before bedtime. Now you’re probably thinking there are many issues in that sentence alone to be able to write 50 blog entries on different subjects such as the lost art of reading, or the effect of electronic games on children before bed, or over indulging 4 year olds. But what I really want to talk about is how annoying it is when I get my I Pad back with the background changed, the buttons all messed up because she thinks “they go better like this” and 5 millions screen shots in my photo album! (I still have no idea how she does that!)
This is one of the things my husband and I differ in. He has a strict “no children are allowed on, near or around my electronic things” policy. They cannot use his lap top, I Pad, I Pod or literally any thing electronic of his at all. (To be honest, most of the time I’m not allowed to either lol) He keeps the plastic protective cover on his phone for as long as it stays on, and stays clean. He hangs on the packaging that stuff comes in. I usually give it to J to color on or more recently to Baby B to tear apart or use as a drum.
As a result, all of his stuff is pristine and looks brand new and all my stuff looks like it’s been through a blender that hasn’t been cleaned for a while. Having said that (and I swear to you this story is true as I saw it with my own eyes) I am not as bad as another mum I know who’s child spilt some sort of sweet drink on her laptop. She didn’t clean it up too well and about a week later, while she was typing an email, a little family of ants crawled out from the key board.
But when my daughter comes and says “Mama, if you mind, may I please borrow your I Pad only for a long long day? and WAALLAH I will give it back to you tonight” how, I ask you, am I supposed to say no to that. And now I have a messed up I Pad that has a stupid chip in the glass and grubby milk and honey finger prints all over it!
Come to think of it, my Lap top isn’t looking too hot either, my phone is on it’s last breaths, I remember I once had head phones somewhere…
Do you let your kids use your electronics? If you do do you instantly regret it?
yamaamaa.com 
Yeeeeeees, I regret it instantly! But when my 8 month old son has worked so hard crawling and scooting towards my mobile phone that I forgot on the floor, I really don’t have the heart to pry it away from his triumphant hands! And lets not even get started on the remote control! I even disinfected an old remote, removed the battery and gave it to him. Somehow he figured out that it is different from the one I use to change the channel and therefore has long ago abandoned it and still tries grabbing the one that I use! Today while talking on the phone, my son pulled himself up using my hair to get to the phone!
Kids and technology, I think its a hopeless battle!
LOL… I just took a pic of my 3 year old on the Ipad… loool.. I guess this is how things are nowadays.. my daughter can work most of the electronics better then me now…. and again she is 3! I wonder what she will be up to when she is older…
Loved the pic.. and love your blog! Thanks for the email.. and the pleasure was all mine (the linking to my blog)
Your blog is a pleasure to read.
Thank you for the comment and the support :-)