Fry's dilemma? He wants to preserve his 5-year-old son's digital-free childhood but doesn't want his son to be behind the proverbial eight ball because he wasn't exposed to a computer, the Web, video games--all things geek tech--at home.
The fact is that most schools are introducing kids to computers in kindergarten, usually through a weekly computer class where they learn to navigate with a mouse, chicken-peck a keyboard, and print on their own. They use simple applications like KidPix to draw pictures or play math games.
Like Jason Fry, I'd rather see my building with blocks, drawing or running around playing T-ball instead of sitting in front of a computer right now. (Keep in mind this is coming from the mom who hasn't owned a television in five years). My two boys see me on my laptop way too much already so I'm not all that eager for them to think it holds the key to fun. (When my oldest son is mad at me he likes to call me a "Blogger" like it's a bad word..."You're a Bloooooger.")
Beth Blecherman over at Techmamas has a excellent breakdown of the tech gadgets for kids in grades K-8. In her research she learned that kids do not need access just to play simple games online. to a computer at home until 6th grade because they can use the computers at school. But many kids do have access at home.
And Dory over in Work & Money also shared some tips when she looked at whether tots and technology are a good mix.
If your kids are under 10, are they online? How much? And when did you introduce them to the digital age?
