Welcome back!
I am delighted to introduce you to guest blogger Stacey Root. She is the senior contributing writer for Wizz-E.com and Nextinlearning.com. As a single mom and survivor of Postpartum Depression, she shares this life saving idea for those of us with small children just begging to “work!”
“I hear this every day at least 3000 times. Only the first 5 are cute, the rest are just annoying. As a full-time student and writer who works from the corner at home, my pre-schooler sees me working and loves to “work” with me (or press the delete button and erase my whole article). Well, to save the function of my MacBook, I purchased a mini-laptop for my boys and my pre-schooler was hired.
I struggled with what sites, what games, what puzzles and having to assist him, mouse clicking, page loads, all around stress for me and frustration for him.
But then the sky opened and bells sounded. I found ebooks. Simple, they read to him, have puzzles after the story and there are a ton of stories. I really like Wizz-E.com because they have familiar stories as well as some new ones that grab his attention. There’s games and great flash animation, his favorite is the way the “sparkles” from the wizard’s wand follow his “hand” from the mouse.
There are some great sites out there that can give your little “worker” things to do while you work or do laundry or read. Wizz-E is not a replacement for traditional cuddle up on the couch under a warm blanket, which they proudly proclaim. Wizz-E.com works with roomtoread.org donating 10% of ebook sales to the furthering of children’s literature.
Online sites that provide learning games and books, even music can give your little employee a way to learn and feel like he is spending time with you while you have to spend time on work. If you are not a work-in-the-home mom, and just need that 5 minutes of peace that Kathy Ireland spoke about in her post, these are a great sanity-saver. And if you are not either of these moms and just like to see your little one learn and excel or master new words and letters or grasp the new technologies, these are fun way to introduce computers.
I am kinda hooked on the ebook thing, I even love to download my textbooks, and Kindle books to my phone. Awww, technology!”
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I hear moms complaining all the time that technology is the bane of their existence–that it draws everyone in and corrupts the family.
My response? Technology is there to make your life EASIER. Use it.
I love that I can give my kid a cell phone and know that he’s safe.
I love that I can sit a preschooler down with a computer game and keep him happy (and incidentally LEARNING something, not to mention improving hand-eye coordination and strategic thinking).
I suppose women who are addicted to Twitter or whose kids won’t get off of WOW might have a different view. But technology is there to work for us. Kudos to you for saying so.
Well said! I agree. With appropriate boundaries, technology can be tremendously helpful – it’s all in how it is used.
What a great idea! I’ve got two toddlers on my lap every time I sit down to work on my column or magazine… Not conducive to working at all!
Great post.
I know working with the kids around can be quite a challenge. I wrote an article about that myself:
http://comeonhome.webs.com/articles.htm
Feel free to hop over to my new blog, Bloggers Connect and add your links to your blogs:
http://workinginjammies.blogspot.com/
I would not get any work done if it weren’t for the technology and great computer programs and websites to keep my tech wiz 6 year old busy. As long as you control what sites and put parental limitations on their computer it is a great source to keep both parents and children sane during a busy day.
I can’t wait to check out the wizz.com site as soon as my son gets home from school, has a snack, does his homework and practices piano. He has to do all these things first and then computer time is allowed which allows me to be a WAHM and also finish up some afternoon chores.
Thanks for the great blog!