Are you a techy family?

Debbie - posted on 12/10/2012

my 4 year old has her own iPod Touch!.... its a little scary because sometimes she'll be reading a normal book, but will sometimes swipe the image to see if anything happens, as if it were an iPod. lol...

I don't over react to it or anything...it is what it is...but on that note, there's a lot of cool niche services catering to the 'tech' families...one is babbaco.com

they let you order activities online and then deliver them to your house monthly...its a great bridge between the 'tech' and real world :) ... does anyone else know of sites like this?>

Rachel - posted on 12/08/2012

We are techy enough, cell phones, ipods, laptop, desktops, portable dvd, blue ray; most of those were gifts and the ipods for the 2 oldest were from the pawn shops. cell phones are Boost. My kids are not really computer literate which I think is a good thing for now, but my husband and I use the internet for everything. I keep thinking about that South Park episode when the internet went out!!! But we are not the family that plays with our phones at dinner or when we go places.

Elisabeth - posted on 07/31/2011

WE, too, have lots of techy stuff. It is obvious our kids are going to be more techy savvy than us. They are growing up in a different generation and that is find. I ask my 23 year old how to do things all the time and he just shakes his head. But I remind him that at least I know more than my mom :)



We realize, though, that some days way too much time is spent starting at a screen. That is not healthy for anyone. Just ask your kids doctors. It is important to set limits for everyone in the family. If your children hear you talking about balance and she you practicing it they will respond better. You can not ask your kids to do something if you are not willing to do it as well. We have different limits for school days and weekends, and summer. School days there is no electronics for the kids. They are playing games. WE may need to work on our computers or read the new, that is not the same. WE do not play games either. ON the weekend they are allowed 1-2 hours or techy time, and they are required to set a timmer. IF they do not set the timer they lose that privilege for that day. Some days we all play as a family longer which is our special family activity and may not count in their 2 hours (which includes movies) . Don't be fooled into thinking it is your kids right to play. It is not. That is a priviledge. Children are filling their minds with stuff from the internet and games and missing out on good books and family fun games or using their imagination to pretend and play legos, super heros and the like. We must reclaim that for them or they will be damaged forever. Just think about the hours we spent playing outside and pretending. Children these days do not even know how to do that because all the pretending has been programmed into their brains from computer and Wii games. Play more family games, bake together, read together, get out that playdough even if they are older... you will be surprised how much fun it is to be together as a family doing something other than video games.

Elizabeth - posted on 07/26/2011

No...I try to keep everything to bare minimum...Even for my husband!!!! I work with the internet so it's difficult, that way. But I am trying to cut back on my email, facebook....WHATEVER....all the time. BUT keep reading....I have 2 kids, one is 13 the other is 6...THEY LOVE movies...That is something they have in common so we let them use this medium to communicate and enjoy their time together. It's not a bad thing...it's just different from other people...Don't worry so much....you are probably a really great mom under-estimating herself, yet again! Explain to me this....Why aren't MEN soooo worried???? Is it because all fault and problem falls to us???? :)))))))

Kim - posted on 07/24/2011

yep a tech family here my hubby is an IT manager so he has a ipad2 for work, we have:
2 desktops (1 is refered to as my oldest sons his 7yr)
1 DSi
1 Wii
1 Playstation
2 Portable DVD
2 GPS
2 phones
Cable TV (both kids can use the kid remote)
1 Harddrive recorder/DVD
1 DVD player
My 7yr old can get onto his kid friendly websites without any help he knows how to use all the equiptment we have some better than me! My 3yr old is just learning but she can use a computer mouse like a master,
as long as they are supervised and time limited I dont see a problem they need to know this stuff anyway so why not let them learn early. Both my kids love playing outside just as much as the computer stuff so I dont see a problem and its a great distraction on a rainy/cold day.

Leeanne - posted on 07/24/2011

Yeah I completely understand. I write this on my iPhone. We have 2 MacBooks, a number of ipods in various forms), an iMac (dualboot), a desktop pc, a ps3, ps2, wii, media pc, iPad 2 and a laptop pc that needs attention. But in saying that my kids (3,6,8)seldom watch tv (and what they do watch is usually recorded in advance) and always ask before they play. I do find I have to limit how long they spend using technology as it seems to make them moody. My 3yo told me just yesterday that I needed to buy him an iPod touch because he lost my one ;/. However they may seem to dominate our lives however they can and do learn a lot of good stuff using all this stuff as long as they are provided with the right software, supervision and assistance.

Criselda - posted on 07/23/2011

Yup, we are indeed a techy family too. My son have a psp and ps3. We also have a laptop, desktop, smartphones, iTouch and an iPad2. My son learned how to use these gadgets at the age of 2. The problem is I can't get them off from him. He just turned 4 and I am having difficulty to bring him to school every morning because all he wants to do is to use those techy stuffs. Now, I got rid of his gadgets.. He's not allowed to use them unless it's weekends.

Janice - posted on 07/23/2011

The world is slowly going in the same direction. I was talking to two of my daughters, and they were both texting or something on their phones or iPhones or whatever. I spend a lot of time on the computer, but that's because that's how I make my living. I am slow to get into all the technology that's available now; it gives me a wary feeling for some reason. Oh I do let my son play games and watch of television programs on the computer, but that's because I have a houseful of other children and he's the youngest and there's just no space sometimes. But for the most part he plays outside with other children as much as possible, to me that's much more important.

Suzanne - posted on 07/23/2011

Yep, we are a techy family. Between the three adults in the house (me, hubby, and FIL) we have:
one desktop computer
4 laptops that work (and a couple busted ones)
2 XBox 360
a Wii,
2 PS3s
2 PS2s
a game cube
an original DS
several legacy Nintendo systems
a Kindle
an iPad
and a couple of GPSs

Sarah - posted on 07/23/2011

Melissa Grubb - I have to say I'm jealous of your gear : )

We have enough for us - an old desk top, a laptop each, ipods, handheld games, apple tv, wii, all the old gaming systems as far back as atari :) , receivers and 3 zone ambient sound for the house, dvd, vcr, blu-ray, and 3D capable - but no ipads and very old phones that we never use.

I'm at the computer off and on all day, we don't limit screen time, but we do see the amount of time the girs spend in front of the screen is inversely proportionate to the amount of time we spend actively free playing with them. Given the choice they'd rather be outside than in front of the screen.

Of course that being said DH and I also prefer to be outside, but with a new baby I'm not out as much as we usually are.

Elizabeth - posted on 07/22/2011

we have cable, a PS3 (which is our DVD & BlueRay player, as well as games), and a PS2 which really only ever gets used anymore for my DDR (since we havn't gotten a PS3 capable mat). We keep the game consoles and the computer in the living space so that even when my husband and one day my children (since my children are 26 months and 3 months)are glued to the TV for one reason or another- they still have to be in common areas of the house and part of the family. I don't want my children having console games and computers in their room- my baby brother (21 years old) lives in his room. he has a PS3, cable, computer, and radio in his room and he only needs to come out for bathroom breaks and food. and sometimes that is all he comes out for. Sometimes I'll go over and visit for the day and not see him at all, But luckily since our children are young and have little or no interest in TV we like to play outside, or roll around on the floor and having tickle/pillow fights. We're a very interactive family

Shannintipton - posted on 07/21/2011

Nicccccce :)

Cathryn - posted on 07/21/2011

Well it seems we are all a bit over the top. We have 4 nintendo systems of all ages including the Wii, ps2, 3 DS including the latest 3D, 3 gameboys, 5 ipods, desktop, laptop, iPad2 and 2 smartphones, dvd and dvd portable - all these come with games, apps, 100s of movies ... So we are over the top and weighing ourselves down.

Shelley - posted on 07/16/2011

we have a DS, DSIXL, computer, DVD, XBOX 360, one cell phone and once smartphone and a PS2. There a second XBOX and a Blu-ray player coming for Christmas as well. My son and I are very techy, hubby not so much. We limit how much time our son spends on the screens as well but we are just as guilty for that. My husband loves the XBOX and I use the computer for everything from my work to chekcing out the local flyers to reading the news and watching movies and TV.

Melissa - posted on 07/16/2011

We have this very same problem. My kids are 3,5,& 9. We have 2 iPads, 2 iPhones, 2 iBooks, 2 V.Readers (for the 2 pre-readers), Wii, and shows on demand with TVo. They do have a tendency to go from one flickering screen to another when the weathers the pits. I just set rules. They have to read at least two "real" paper book (ones we get from the library), do some "H.W." from their age appropriate workbooks, clean their rooms, put away clothes (if there is any laundry), feed the animals, etc.,etc.. Chores before games! Outdoor time before games! Play dates before games! No computers in bedroom. I ended up putting gymnastic rings in the basement during the winter b/c I was at my wits-end with the fighting b/c their brains where overstimulated and bodies understimed. Since I have the Mac's, I had the kids start making cute little videos with music/art/shows they created. Its funny and quite brilliant the things they come up with! If they're going to have all this technology around them, at least make it a collaborative effort to do things, not just stare off at it gaming. But I can truly say, my kids are a little more computer literate than me;)

Shannintipton - posted on 07/14/2011

Not in the least. My cell phone is one of the first ones ever made. My computer has one program app and that is CoM. I do love my DVR. Other than that we live in the dark ages. bummer. I am looking for an ipad, but don't know what to look for. Still looking into it. Too many features confuse me. I dont want it to ring that is for sure. I hate phones. LOL

Good Day! - posted on 07/14/2011

Not really. We have a tv and blueray, a laptop, a kindle and 2 cell phones (one for each adult).

Carolee - posted on 07/14/2011

We are a techy family. We may not have a lot, but we use it a lot. I used to live with computer programmers (althogh I've lost most of that knowledge), so I am really used to technology. My husband knows just a little more about tech than I do, and my kids aren't old enough to be more computer literate than I am.

Tamara - posted on 07/13/2011

We have 4 desktops, a laptop, netbook, portable bluray player, wii, ps3, me and my oldest son have a smart phone. Everyone in the family has at least one hand held gaming system. A nook, kindle, I can't think of anything else lol. So yea we are. With that said they earn their screen time. With chores, reading and outside play. No computers in bedrooms everything is parental blocked.

There are times I think they are more computer literate then I am. I know alot can build one program one web design and stuff like that there are still time my 8 year old has to show me something