I agree with you 100% about using the computer as a digital babysitter. I far and away prefer to use the computer as a reinforcement system for skills already taught. I do the teaching and then I have my kid do something on the computer to show that they are grasping what I am teaching.

Thanks for the PBS article link!

On the age though, I’d like to respectfully disagree. I think your advice is *great* for people already prone to active parenting but that sort of gives an excuse for those prone to the electronic babysitter. Not that there’s anything wrong with an electronic babysitter every once in awhile but I do think it’s easy to overuse.

I think there are very few children who wouldn’t adapt easily to mouse and keyboard use even if they never saw them during the preschool years at all.

Most skills children can learn using a computer can also be taught by a parent. I don’t mean it isn’t *fun* for them to learn via computer, I just don’t see it as a necessity in the least.

This is a PBS article that’s pretty good & it gives info from the National Association for the Education of Young Children:

PBS article