At 12:00 AM 1/14/99 +0000, you wrote:
>> But to say that a kid should not be introduced to computers until they can
>> read enough to use unix or can handle a soldering iron is to do a major
>> disservice to the kid.
>
>Why?
>
>I'm disputing the word 'major', BTW. It's possible that some 18-month old
>kids will enjoy looking at coloured patches on a computer screen. But I
>don't think that _not_ showing them that will cause any form of permanent
>damage.
I made an assumption (at least I think I wrote that) that a reasonable
computer was available. To say, I've got this computer which could help
the kid learn to learn better, develop logical skills, and even learn to
read and understand math, but I'm not going to let the kid use it because
it's a windoze machine and I want the kid to be a Unix guru" is a major
disservice. Same as saying "I've got a TV and Sesame Street and National
Geographic comes on sometimes, but I'm not gonna let the kid watch those
because someday they might want to watch teenage morphin' ninja turle soup
with Howard Stern." Another grave disservice. And another analogy: You
could say "Sure, I've got a major library next door, but I'm not gonna let
the kid go there because it might read the gatekeeper's monologue from
Macbeth where he talks about hookers and drunkenness."
I'm not saying that every parent has to go out and buy their kid a
computer, or that the kid will turn stupid without it, but if you've got
the resources, use 'em.
Remember, that being a parent means subjugating your own desires for the
benefit of the kid. You have to give up a lot for that kid, and that may
include a no-Winblows rule, or worse. Hell, you might even have to miss a
football game now and then.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger_at_sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California
http://www.sinasohn.com/
Received on Thu Jan 14 1999 - 15:59:25 GMT