Slide to unlock

The iPhone is an amazing invention.  In just six years, this "little wonderbar" has transformed our lives in ways we cannot imagine.  Our lives depend on it - from checking our schedule to booking a movie online to getting Siri answer the proverbial question of "What is the meaning of life?".  In fact, some of our lives are literally on it - photos, videos, messages, tweets.

Should our kids get a headstart on this great technological marvel then?  Afterall, I'm sure you remember praising how smart or savvy your friend's kid is when you see him/her playing with the iPhone like a Mac Genius.  Surely the myriad of educational games available on the AppStore would help your kid develop into a real genius?

Or are we locking up the growth of our kids, when we allow them to unlock the phone?

Luckily for me, I have seen many kids being addicted to the iPhone (and iPad and iPad mini and iPod Touch) and their diminished ability to properly interact with things/people to realise the harm the iPhone can do to a young mind.  For that reason, we do not allow Aiden to be engrossed in it. The only times he would be exposed to it is when he tries to be helpful and brings the phones to us to read incoming messages, or when he wants to FaceTime us, or when he wants to watch home made videos /photos of Daddy and Mummy, or the occasional video that catches his eye when he flicks through YouTube - he loves dancing to videos with upbeat music.  No games, no pseudo-educational apps and definitely no Angry Birds.

On his favourite Y-Bike (20 months)

There are many articles on the internet that discusses the good and bad of the iPhone to kids.  I like this article by The New York Times.

We have so far resisted the temptation to use the iPhone to deal with a cranky/crying/restless Aiden.  Instead, we would talk to him, play with him or use up some of his energy by encouraging him to dance/ride his bicyle/run around.  The best thing is that we get a little workout in the process too!

I am also convinced that kids would be able to learn how to use such devices easily so I don't think Aiden is disadvantaged in any way.  In fact, without us ever teaching him, he has already learned how to unlock the iphone, fire up Photos, Videos, YouTube, flick through, play videos, zoom in, go back, go to home etc. He even got me a bit worried when he tried to flick the non-touch screen of our digital camera the other day.

Second time on a futsal pitch (22 months)

I hope he will love soccer and playing with Lego instead, just like his old man.

Tower built entirely by Aiden (21 months)