21st Century Problems.

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What The What !?

How much time is too much time for a 5 year old to spend on the computer? I know, honestly. Just re-read that question. 5 year old, computer, time, when did this happen? Trying telling your children that you didn't even have computers at your secondary school, let alone at home. It's like telling your childhood self that celebrities would openly show tattoos even if they hadn't been in prison, or that even having unlimited access to everything there'd still be nothing to watch on a Friday evening.

So here's the issue. The wife and girl child are out so I ask boy child what would he like to do? The dream answers being, paint, draw, watch a movie or play a game. So what do I get? "Can I play on the computer Daddy?" Now before I go on a rant about technology blah blah blah, I do let my kids have computer time. They both own a v-tech Innotab and they both get to play on BBC bitesize but what have I done that means it's the first answer? 

I am fully aware that this is the 21st century and I can hear the cries of "get with the times Grandad", but my heart sinks a little that a 5 year old using a computer is normal. I volunteer at my kids school, I've seen the I.T suite (again, honestly, in a primary school!) and I realise that some of their education is computer based, quite rightly so, and I realise the irony of blogging about too much technology use, but is it normal? How much do they really need to know at 5, and is this better educationally or developmentally than actual, reality based play and exploration?

So I ask again, how much time is too much time? I honestly don't know. Now where is he? I can't remember how to spell check.

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