It never ceases to amaze me, how every successive generation of kids, are so inherently able to quickly pick up and adapt to the latest technology.
I saw a video posted online of a woman who filmed her infant daughter, playing with mommy's iPad. She was opening and closing her fingers, moving and adjusting the picture on the screen. Later, she handed her daughter a magazine, where the infant took it, and tried to manipulate the pictures inside and on the cover with her fingers. Frustrated, she ultimately pleaded to get the one back that did something.
The mom's comment at the end of the video was:
"For my 1 year old daughter, a magazine is an iPad that does not work. It will remain so for her whole life. Steve Jobs has coded part of her OS."
Okay, I don't know about the whole iBaby inference, but I certainly agree that kids quickly pick up tech.
I had a fun example of this the other day with my just turned five year old. In the mornings when I get up, I like to grab my tablet to read my Bible, check out the Amazon free app of the day and toodle around a bit until I have to take my shower. Usually about that time, my oldest is up, and wants to have a go at Daddy's favorite toy.
When I am finishing getting ready, I will have to warn him "You have about two minutes, then Daddy needs to take it with me, so I can go to work." That day, I decided to give him a treat. "I tell you what, man. One time offer, just for today. How about I leave it with you guys this morning, and just pick it up later when I come home for lunch." He replied in the coolest kind of voice he could muster "Ohhhh Yeeeeaaaaahhhhh!!"
Later at work, I was regaling my friend at work with this tale, when I realized something. The Internet on my tablet was still turned on. Oooops! I have only been tripped up a couple times by kids making an in-app purchases on my friend, but maybe today I would stay safe.
When I returned from home and checked my tablet notifications, I saw that indeed a purchase had been attempted, but blocked. I noticed that the airplane mode (block all internet) had been enabled. Phew! I thanked Mrs. Geek for switching off the internet for me. She said that she didn't know how to do that kind of stuff. Sure enough, I checked with my boy and he had selected the notification bar, clicked on the settings tool, and toggled on the airplane mode. He had seen that I did that for them, and knew that I would want it done.
That's my little geek! A computer chip off the ol' block.
TGCD
**Click the picture at the top of the article if you would actually like to order those bumper stickers. They were a collaboration between Think Geek and another technology blog called Geek Dad.**
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