Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    Cheryl,
    
    
    
    I have 2 suggestions, 1 that I got from this notes file.
    
    Find a Cust Services person who has a scrap keyboard and take it home.
    The kids don't associate the keyboard with the screen at 3 yrs.
    
    Or, someone gave my son a typewriter with an adapter that uses regular
    paper the brand is ELECTRONIC 8000, the ages listed are 5 and up. My
    6 year old needs help to put the paper in though. (I use regular 80
    column form feed paper)
    
    Its a great way to have them learn the keyboard early.  My son is well
    on his way. [and half the neighborhood]  Also, if you have access to 
    a "PAINT" program, your 3 year old can manage most of the functions
    since there are icons instead of words.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Rochelle

>    The kids don't associate the keyboard with the screen at 3 yrs.

Ha!  Maybe most kids don't, but David definitely watches the screen while
he types.  If the shift lock isn't on, he asks "Mommy, how can I make the
right kind of A?" (he doesn't believe in lower-case letters yet).  And he
is an expert on use of the backspace key.  A keyboard alone won't be
satisfactory for this kid!

    re .1 I beg to differ! at 3 my daughter understood how to move
    the cursor up, down, and sideways.  She would fill the screen with
    letters (in local) and then put them "back in the box" using rubout.
    She could spell her name, do the alphabet, and knew the difference
    between small letters and capitals.  Numbers didn't interest her
    (mathphobia already?!?!) but she certainly could connect her actions
    on the keyboard and the results on the screen.

    Sorry if this is a tangent -- moderator, please move it if you like.
    
    I too have a three-yr-old who likes to use the home computer. Can 
    anyone recommend good cheap software for the Mac, aimed at his
    age? I don't want it to be "educational", just fun. Thanks.
    
    Lucy

    Back to the basenoter's topic...I keep an old manual typewriter
    that i had in college for the future use of my son. I think when he's
    ready, it may be a good tool/toy for him. Certainly a whole different
    thing from a computer/terminal. I bet you can find typewriters
    for sale cheap by people who have gone to computers.
    
    Lucy
    

    A lot of cost centers are selling off the old VT100s for not-too-much
    money.  I know there's 1/2 a lab full of them in ZK2 - check out with
    your CC manager.
    

    Thanks very much for the suggestions!  I'm reluctant to bring yet
    another terminal into the house, but that might be the best option for
    David.  I was hoping to find something that we could take along on our
    (long!!) trip to New Zealand.  Actually, there were some laptops that
    we saw this weekend that would be ideal - except for the price (yikes!).
    Meanwhile, I am limiting him to 5 minutes at the terminal every 2 hours
    or so, while I'm waiting for a batch job to complete or something.  It
    takes him about 5 minutes to type the alphabet, so it works out ok.
    However, Gregor (9 months old) thinks he should be able to type, too...

							cheryl

        Watching my daughter Stephanie play at the ol' VT100 in local has
        further convinced me that the best toys are the simple ones!  She
        gets so much pleasure from  making  up  her own games, along with
        typing the alphabet, spelling her name,  spelling  the  names  of
        friends and family, and then rubbing the whole thing out! 
        
        Kids  learn  very  early and _very_ well  the  results  of  their
        actions,  even the seeming complex idea that pressing  a  key  on
        _his_ thingy leads to a letter appearing up on _that_ thingy. 
        
        Regarding   child-oriented  software,  my  wife  and  I  are  now
        searching  as  well.    We  have a new Mac and  are  looking  for
        software  that  will  keep up with Stephanie's creativity --- the
        only thing that works there, so far, are Crayolas!
        
        Have a GREAT one!
        
        John

    We bought for AJ a second hand Commodore, and invested in two mouses
    (mice?) for it.  At 2.5 I swear his first word was "shoot daddy?" which
    was his term for using the joysticks.  Since most people know that
    Commodore was originally designed as an arcade game it's a perfect
    thing for the youngsters.
    
    It will carry with him for a while since it can be used as a real
    terminal, the software is fairly affordable.  We get ours either second
    hand or at Toys R Us.
    
    I also agree with just handing him a keyboard if he's only at the
    banging on keyboard stages.
    
    Lyn