[wplug] computer use for the young

[Anna McCullough]

Jt Chiodi wrote:

> In our house the is no functioning TV.  My two boys have never watched a
> TV program or video tape or movie.  One is pre-school age, but neither
> will see  the inside of a school until they are college age if we can
> swing it.  We plan to home school.  We haven't decided what role if any
> that the computer will play in our home school.  We have at this point
> decided not use a computer to present the material we are teaching.  We
> also are not letting them play games on the computer.  Why?  Well I
> couldn't begin to list all of our reasons, but like anything else it is a
> matter of personal choice.

I don't have kids so I fully admit up front that I'm not truly qualified to jump
in here. However, I have six nieces and nephews, two of whom spent more time in
my house than their own, and my best girlfriend is a 21-year old homeschooled
woman who is even more computer savvy than I am (which probably isn't saying
much but she thinks building systems is something you do to RELAX).

As I see it, TVs and computers and games and the like can be used constructively
or destructively. In Jessie's case (the 21 year old), her mom used all of the
above in what I consider very constructive ways; the result is a young woman who
is self-confident, extremely intelligent, and unafraid of any form of
technology. Most of my nieces and nephews were homeschooled for a portion of
their school years; the two I helped raise are well-adjusted, intelligent,
contributing members of society who can use computers comfortably and well. In
their case, I was the one who saw to it that they had a computer when they were
pre-teens, taught them to type and showed them, in general, the potential of the
machine. The niece uses one for finances and email, the nephew uses one as part
of his job and at home. I use one for just about everything (I'm a graphic
designer by trade).

In today's society the typewriter is almost a relic, replaced virtually across
the board by keyboards; even getting a job in someplace as limiting as a
fast-food chain will likely soon (if not already) require some knowledge of
basic keyboarding skills. Of course secretarial skills already require knowledge
of computer programs (Word, Excel, etc.). 

Just my two cents, but I find that in today's job market knowledge of computers
is indispensable. I don't mean that everyone needs to know how to take one apart
and put it back together again - though that wouldn't hurt - but to not have
exposure to computers while one is growing up is, in my opinion, not really a
good thing. I'm not sure that protecting young minds by keeping them away from
everything they're going to get hit with later in life (read: the instant they
first walk in to the neighbor kid's house) is the best way to handle it.

I don't mean to start a flame war, and I've already admitted that I'm probably
not the best person to jump in on this. As Jt Chiodi wrote, he feels it's
working for them and that's certainly his prerogative. 

Cheers,
Anna