Are your Gadgets Baby-Sitting Your Child?

This has got to be my wake-up call. It should be.

Last night when I was ironing my husband's clothes, I heard him call me and he sounded a bit sad and worried.  He said that he asked my daughter Mishka to read the letters s-a-m-s-u-n-g on the lower part of the lcd tv. The letters were half an inch size and for sure anyone can read it from afar. But not my daughter. She knew the letters of the alphabet so well, so there's no reason for her not to answer what's been asked... just spell.  She was just four years old and she's reading the letter within 'dalawang dipa' around 7 feet only from the tv. She is probably nearsighted (myopia) and we were devastated because she's just a little girl with so many things to do and not worry about her eyesight.

We thought she was just kidding that she can't read the letters accurately, but then her reaction is telling us that she really can't see it. Mishka would scratch her forehead and turned away saying, 'I can't'.

It's our fault, as parents, that our children might suffer from some conditions resulting from the use of laptop, cellphone, ipod, psp, tv etc. I am admitting that sometimes when my son Tristan is playing with the cellphone and Mishka is watching videos on the laptop makes my life easier.

This would be their common daily routine.

even outside the house

They would just stop roaming and running around the room Avoiding being pushed by the other one while they're hyper-actively playing.

I know I have made those gadgets baby sit my kids and indeed it's my fault why my daughter is now having those blur visions when reading, because I asked her if she sees cloud-like or smoke while she reads, 'YES' was her answer.

So now this laptop wouldn't be here when she wakes up. I'm thinking of other ways so they won't look for this, which is impossible. But then, I should stick with my plan of not letting her use this, instead, have some activities that will occupy their time and get to learn at the same time, since she will be going to school this June already.

Here are some activities I thought might help me, and my kids stay away from using gadgets, and might help you too.

1. Story Time

Grab a book they like or choose one that you think they will be fond of.  There's this short story entitled "The Growling Tummy" which my kids like when I'm reading it to them. It's a funny story that has moral lessons in it.
Sometimes my daughter would say 'Mommy, I want growling tummy, let's read now'  and it made me realized that she also wanted to try other things besides using the laptop, and now I know I must do this regularly.

2. Let them write and draw

I bought a canvass book for both of them to write and draw. Mishka has a talent in drawing, even when she just about 2.5 yrs old, she would create images out of blue, it's just her imagination. I kept the pages where she drew it, clip it here later.

she finally wrote her name, she knew exactly how it spelled

she copied my drawings

3. Let them play real toys.

Playing with actual toys around them helps their imagination develop. They would create a script of their own and use some animal figures or robots in telling stories.

Mishka favorite is this Littlest Petshop house together

with the 12 pets

Angry birds is Tristan's favorite character

4. Let them dance and sing.

Well for this matter, I'm gonna be using a cellphone as their music when they dance. They both love to dance with the music from LMFAO's Party Rock, Katy Perry's and Nicki Minaj. Mishka would sing Adele's, Cristina Perri's and Katy Perry's too.

she refers to this one as her costume, in dancing

5. Let them play with puzzles.

Though they played with several puzzles before and tore it into little pieces other than its original sizes, I would still buy puzzles for them. Also helps in their imagination.

Studies said that kids nowadays has little imagination due to the regular use of computers and watching tv. They have no time to be alone with their toys and play with it, so they can use their thinking-out-of-the-box abilities.  Good thing there are still toys around here. I admit it that I almost gave away their toys so that it won't be so messy on the floor and just focus on their gadgets, huh! my mind sometimes gets messed up in decision making. Good thing I didn't put it into action. 

6. Let them play outdoors with other kids.

This is definitely the most difficult thing for me to do because I can't look at them both and hold their hands at the same time while Tristan would walk fast to the point that he'll be tumbling on the street and get wounds (imagining only) The kids in the neighborhood were all big though and have their own ways (rough) how to play. Scary for my kids to do.

Maybe in time, but not now, I still have to convince myself that playing outdoor if safe, I know it would be fun for them, but I'm a bit selfish now, I don't want them to get hurt. (so protective)

7.  Let them play Hide & Seek

Mishka would always go for the same place to hide when she heard someone approaching our room. She would shout and say "Call me" when the door opens. She meant, look for me, like she really can't be found. LOL

For now, these are the things I promised to do with them. Hopefully it'll be a success and prevent them from wanting to use gadgets anymore.

Fingers crossed. Anyway, I'm the parent and I will be their guide in whatever they wish to do. BTW, they are both still sleeping and will keep this after .

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