Things I Love Thursday… Technology and Parenting

Though Jill’s not doing it anymore, I have a Things I Love Thursday post in me so I’m just going to write it anyway.

I have to say I love technology and the role it plays in our parenting. Try as I may, I cannot get my kids to play with their toys all day, or to sit quietly the entire time we are in a restaurant or waiting to see a doctor and sometimes, once dinner is done and we’re approaching bedtime but not quite there yet, I just need a 30-minute break to get me through the witching hour. You can judge me all you want (though really, I know you all do it, too) but I do not at all mind saying we use the technology at our disposal to entertain our kids when our resources are tapped.

We are that family in the restaurant whose children are watching YouTube videos and playing Angry Birds on our smart phones and I’ll make no apologies for that because my kids eat a balanced diet (even if I have to sneak things in) so if they are more interested in our phones than the food, so be it. I do not expect a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old to sit perfectly behaved for an hour in a restaurant and the phones keep them quiet and from getting down to run around. We still go out to eat because it is a treat for us after a long week of not seeing each other, it’s nice to get out of the house together but not be paying a babysitter. The only requirement we have is that they have chicken nuggets/fingers/fries of some sort because then Jack will happily eat; but WiFi is also appreciated.

We are also that family, or I should say, I am that mother, who lets her kids zone out on technology in the evenings to give herself a break. Simon’s home with the kids three mornings a week and they are more than happy to play by themselves and be entertained without much adult interaction (not all the time, but it’s more likely to happen in the mornings) but by the time the afternoon and evening rolls around and I’m home with them, this is less likely to happen. They’ve had enough of each other and are more prone to fighting (well, this happens pretty much all the time because they are both stubborn and well, boys). And I’m all for playing with my kids but sometimes other things need to be done like laundry, dinner-prep, working out and emptying the dishwasher. And sometimes I just can’t read another book, build another Lego thing or listen to them shooting at each other, and we all need to retreat to our separate corners. Liam gets to get his aggressions out by shooting things up on the Wii, Jack turns his focus to an episode of Yo, Gabba Gabba (or Gava, Gava as he calls it) or Dora, headphones in place and I’m busy with whatever I’m doing. Everyone is happy for a little while.

My name is Michelle, and I use technology in my parenting arsenal and I love it. (I also use bungee cords with wild abandon.)