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Sunday, July 16, 2006

Get 'Em While They're Hot!

I saw this article today and it inspired the previous post...

It made me realize that this age of technology will not fade away. Nothing short of total destruction of the planet (which may in fact happen someday) will stop the advance of the internet and virtual reality. So, the next question is, do you have your web address? If you don't, there's no need to worry--they're adding "340 undecillion, 282 decillion, 366 nonillion, 920 octillion, 938 septillion — enough for the foreseeable future, Mr Kessens said." I'll say. Enough, perhaps even for my grandchildren, but by then they'll start needing more...

Here are some interesting statistics that are current, but what will they be 10 years from now, when my boy is 15. Ten years ago when my hubby and I were courting via the internet, we were just tackling instant messaging...

ONLINE, ON THE PHONE, ON THE UP

50 billion the number of e-mails dispatched every day wordwide; in 2001 the traffic was less than 12 billion

88 per cent of e-mails are junk including about 1 per cent which are virus-infected

32 The average number of e-mail messages received per person per day. This is rising by 84 per cent each year

440 million the number of electronic mailboxes in use, including 170 million corporate ones, growing by 32 per cent per year

1,035 million the total number of mobile phone text messages sent each month in Britain

37 The average number of texts a user sends per month compared with 21 in 2001 1 million the number of children aged under 10 in Britain — one in three — who own a phone

8 The average age at which a child gets a mobile phone in Britain

Think about it...


Nintendo, Computer Games, and the like...Comments Please!

Perhaps you can help me with this...

My son loves computer games. He also loves playing Nintendo at friends' houses on rainy days. He loves anything computers and the like--but it stands to reason...so do his dad and I. My struggle is the balance issue. I read unschoolers who say that if their child wants / needs to spend two days conquering a game on their game cube, so be it--it will pass and he will move on to something else soon. Other homeschoolers are opposed to anything that doesn't involve gardening, playing outside and interacting with books and nature.

This morning as I played with my boy and started tickling and rough-housing with him, his ribs were poking out all over the place and I was impressed with his five-year-old muscles. He's a miniature man, in love with playing outside, sword fighting, playing make-believe, and climbing trees. He eats very well, is passionate about taking his vitamins, and knows that drinking lots of water is important for staying healthy.

Then why do I feel guilty for even entertaining the idea of a Nintendo for him for Christmas?

All comments are welcome! What do you think?