Technology and kids

The other day as regular readers know I was at the zoo with the family and had a cracking day out. So at night time looking over some of the photos it got my mind to thinking about the two wee boys aged about 4 and 5 who spoke to us at the monkey enclosure and enthusing in the fine photos they had taken.....on their ipads!
Now I know I am a granddad and some of you are already thinking a grumpy old one that probably listens to vinyl records from the first time round.
The answer to that is maybe because now I am no longer sure.
The wee one in this house is not afraid of technology nor is she afraid of some of the old school methods of entertainment-you know the ones painting, reading, dress up and generally playing. All these activities of course take some kind of supervision to ensure not only are the wee ones safe but the house and all the family pets are safe as well. However give a kid an ipad and you can walk away leaving them to their silence with their new best friend.
Now the wee boys at the zoo showed me that they still knew how to communicate and were a couple of real credits to their family, however I worry about the next generation in spite of the wee boys, as parents seem hell bent on keeping up with consumerism, I even had one parent tell me they had to give up eating at teatime for a wee while to get their child a tablet- informing  me that it was worth it as that is all she plays with now and even takes it to bed bless.
So am I taking a stand against kids keeping up with technology-absolutely not! I am however taking a stand against those that think getting their wee one a tablet should be a point of pride and celebration with a feeling of job done. If our children are to grow up into the adult's we hope them to be then they need balance and an understanding that technology is useful and can help you but it should never replace your ability to think imaginatively and it should never replace the good old fashioned wee pal that is prepared to get into the spirit of the dress up game or the sand pit.
So in answer to being grumpy and old I plead not guilty to the charge-my defence is simple I had a magic selection of LP'S that are now on tape...I mean CD'S.
To the second charge of being anti technology for kids that is again a plea of not guilty -my defence, the wee one plays with a tablet and uses her uncles phone.
However the wee one will only get her own one when the school tells me it is essential to her education and not a toy or an amusing camera that costs as much as some people pay for a family holiday........
And finally new words are entering the wee ones repertoire every day so its time to have the soap ready to wash out granddads mouth should she say a swear word!!!!!!