We don't set time limits (but we do have to share, so there are some associated limits). When DD was a baby, we let her play with the computer perhaps once a week for five minutes or so. I would _never_ have left her alone with the computer at that time, and she is still not entirely trustworthy. By now, my computer is taped together and missing several keys. She learned to use a mouse at the same time she learned to use a touchpad. I think she was 2, perhaps 2 1/2. By the time she was 3 she was truly independent on the computer.
I would discourage thinking of a computer as a babysitter. It is very important for preschoolers to learn to play by themselves, but it's totally normal and appropriate for babies and toddlers to want to interact with others all of the time. If you are tired of reading, by all means, do something else. But a computer isn't going to do more for a baby than a TV would, IMO. FWIW, DD began wanting to play by herself in her room for about ten or fifteen minutes at a time when she was about 18 months old.
You know, you're probably right. I think I was saying that more out of desperation. Not only has DD decided to give up naps this week but it's like her intensity is switched on high.
I think she's going through some sort of language explosion because it seems like every day she's coming up with new words/sentences and I spend a huge chunk of the day having to read to her to avoid tantrums (it doesn't help that we have well below freezing temperatures here and can't leave home). I don't even get to read one book straight through either! She'll bring like 5 or more at a time and keep switching back and forth and turning to specific pages that I HAVE to read. I swear she has this face like she's studying for the bar exam or something. On top of that she working on her fine motorskills like crazy, which means I have to be on constant alert that our cat isn't going to be colored on.
I love seeing her develop but I think it was a lot easier when I just had to chase her around the house and follow behind her to make sure she didn't fall from her climbing feats.
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But that also hits on something else that I couldn't really figure out how to put into words earlier. Is there a big difference between Computer time and TV time? I mean, at least with the computer she's interacting?
Also is it actually good for her to be doing this stuff at her age? She clearly loves it and definitely learns stuff from starfall but I don't think she NEEDS it, you know what I mean? I'm just wondering if I let her play on this will she be to concentrated on that and ignore other things she should be learning at this age? Then again, she's been obsessed with numbers/letters for awhile now considering how many times I've had to read this one counting book to her and how she is constantly asking what certain letters are... I don't know, I'm just rambling now.
