RANDI Zuckerberg's brother created Facebook and she left the elite global advertising firm Ogilvy and Mather to make and supervise Facebook’s marketing activities for about six years. Known as a social media and technology expert, Randi wrote Dot Complicated, a guide on understanding social media and technology. She is also the founder of Zuckerberg Media. Now a mother to two kids, let’s read about what she thinks of tech time for kids.
In an article on Parents, she was asked if she allows her 3-year-old Asher to use any devices. She replied, "I’m definitely of the mindset that when you’re talking about young children, the tech/life balance should skew way in favor of the life component – going outdoors, getting dirty, experimenting with different materials, etc. That being said, there’s definitely a time and a place for tech – it’s very important that children develop a sense of tech literacy, along with the other skills they are developing, so that they’re armed with the tools they’ll need to be successful later in life and so that they’re on par with their peer group. Tech can also be wonderful to promote creativity, with apps that foster a love of art, music, reading, and more."
But surely, there are pros and cons about giving tech devices to kids, right dearies? This is Randi’s opinion on the subject, “I think the pros of introducing children to technology early far outweigh the cons. That being said, there’s a difference between mindlessly sticking a child in front of a tablet as a babysitter, and mindfully choosing apps that engage their minds and creativity.”
She further said that, “For older children, one of the biggest risks I see are around sites that allow people to be anonymous. While I understand that teenagers like to have spaces to go online away from their parents and prying eyes, those sites also run an increased risk of bullying, when people feel like they can say hurtful things without consequences.”
In an interview with Entrepreneur, Randi Zuckerberg was asked on which apps make her life as a parent easier. She said that, “Luckily, behind every great parent is a whole bunch of great apps and gadgets. A few of our favorites include: Nest thermostat (so we can keep our room perfectly chilled, while also keeping the nursery toasty warm and manage it all from our phones), DropCam (to check in on the little guy during nap time), Dropbox and Evernote to store important documents and to-do lists (baby brain is a real thing!), my Swash laundry device (so I can "refresh" that blazer that just got baby spit up on it, before rushing out the door to host my SiriusXM radio show), the Rock-a-bye Baby channel on Pandora (you haven't lived until you've heard a lullaby rendition of Metallica), PayPal to manage all the expenses going in and out (babies are expensive!), and the Timehop app so we can compare Simi to what Asher looked like at his age – an instant smile every day!”
So there you go dearies, from the tech savvy herself. And I should add, I do agree with her about the tech/life balance leaning in favor of life experiences when it comes to young children and that we should not deprive the little ones of gadgets.
Sometimes we think that our children are missing so many wonderful things about childhood ---- tumba lata, eating “dirty ice cream” and bathing in the rain. Too often, want them to experience what we did. But we must not forget that these little kids will grow up in a different world that we grew up in. Theirs is a more technology-focused world. And depriving them of tech time might even be detrimental to their development. We need to establish that tech-life balance, dearies, for ourselves and our kids.
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