Kids and Technology - Sound off

Today we are having a carnival of sorts - not the old fashioned, pre-technology, cotton candy kind - but a new fangled, blog carnival. My pals at MomGadget are sounding off here today, but anyone is welcome! Just leave us a comment and a link to your post on kids and technology and you are in!

Technology is everywhere and there is nothing we can do to avoid it. Our kids were born with a mouse in one hand and a remote in the other. They are growing up in an environment, that as kids, we could not have even seen coming!

I must confess, our household is probably a bit on the technology extreme. After all, for a family of five, we have 6 desktop computers and two working laptops. The kids have the coolest playroom - one wall was transformed into their own workstation. We bought three kitchen cabinet bases, trimmed the bottoms, added a long countertop across them all and poof, we have a kids' office. We got three kid-sized swivel office chairs and now each child has their own computer, cabinet, and chair.

Now before anyone gets worried, I can see the playroom and all three computers from my office. All the appropriate filters are in place and rules have been set. Our kids are pretty busy with afterschool sports and homework that really the office is used most on weekends. Some pretty priceless moments have been overheard though. There is nothing like watching my 10 year old son coach his 4 year old sister through a Disney Princess game! My son and my 8 year old daughter play Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom (alot) and I have been very impressed with the site moderation. Yes, they each have email accounts, too. But, they are set up so that the only email allowed in is from people we put in their contact list.

I am very pro-technology. Our kids have to be tech-saavy - they need it for survival in the real world. It's not all games in our house. The kids use Word for homework. Both of the older ones have used Excel and Powerpoint in school and I have been teaching my son to use some of the graphics and HTML tools I used everyday in my business.

What's your take? Sounding off today, we have:

• Gayla at Supernanny Rules - she seems to be of a slightly different attitude than me, but it is a great perspective!
• HomeMom takes a few lessons from her kids when it comes to technology.
• Jennifer is like me in that we just don't get all the PS3 madness (We aren't getting one! Not this year.)
• Another must-read is the article Gayla sent me called "Parenting on Thin Ice" - a unique perspective on kids and their games!
• Delphine chimes in with shopping for kids and technology.
• And even my alter-ego Casual Keystrokes (yes, that's just another one of my blogs) has something to say in a rant about PS3.
  

Don't worry you are not too late to join in! Leave me a comment and I'll get you on the list.

You are invited! Technology and Tweens Blog Carnival

Today's tweens - they were born with a mouse in one hand and a video game controller in the other. These kids have been playing computer games, video games, controlling the remote and playing with gadgets since birth. What do you think of it? Sound off this week on your blog and let me know (a comment would be perfect). We will be having a blog carnival here on Friday thanks to my pals at MomGadget.

I am looking for just about any posts that talk about tweens (or kids of any age) and technology. Like:

• Do you/your kids play computer/video games too much? Too little?
• What are the favorite tech devices in your home? Computer, PSP, GBA, X-box?
• Favorite games or a review of a favorite game.
• Strategies for monitoring and managing technology time?
• Things kids say or other funny technology stories. Like the fact that my daughter could type www.pbskids.org before she could type her name.

Don't be shy! Jump in. Sound off. Share. It is sure to be a great time.

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