Cultivating the Next AppleIBMMicrosoft Magnate

Not counting the two cats who reside in our house, there are 3 other life forms who have the ability to open a laptop due to the gift of the opposable thumb. Those beings of course are Jerry, Dawn and Max.

Jerry's use of the computer is limited to Eebaay, hobby car forums, and solitare. I'm guessing he puts in about 2 hours - tops - a day, including any time work-related. I recently asked him why he doesn't do something "useful" on the computer, like research which appliances we should get for the house or figure out what to get his parents for Christmas. My suggestions fell on deaf ears.

I, on the other hand, use to spend a lot of time online-window shopping. My favorites consisted of shopping sites, split between clothes for Max and clothes for me. This was during my free-time, and I use the term verrryy looosssely. I also spend all my day at work on a computer. That changed a few months ago when I took my first hit of blog. My free time (and sometimes not so free time) has been divvied up between blogging and doing my own appliance shopping. BTW: blogging is a little more enjoyable and infinitely more useful mentally. Who needs a stove anyway except for those ambitious people who actually...COOK! *gasp*

But let us not forget Max. All babies take an interest in adult activities, whether its the cooking, vacuuming, folding clothes, etc., and computer use appears to be no exception. Max has taken to it like a duck to water. I do worry sometimes that he may be on it for too long, but I make sure that the activities are appropriate for his age. His faves are Disney Playhouse, Sesame Workshop, and Peep and the Big Wide World. And knowing that even in his preschool class they use a computer, I am comfortable that proper exposure will be - and is - an asset. He handles the mouse like a pro and he even knows how to end his programs and hibernate the laptop.


Does anyone have their favorite toddler-friendly websites that they would like to recommend? He might look bored in the pix, but believe me if I were to shut down the computer without the 5 minute warning, WWIII would break out in my very own home... and I'd probably lose.