Raquel M. Tamayo

Military families do their fair share of moving which means finding different ways to entertain children when waiting around or sitting on a plane flight. I was excited when I found out that PBS (the Sesame Street company), offers a website for kids with mobile downloads

There are games, podcasts, wallpapers, and ringtones that you can download to your mobile device. The whole purpose of the website is so that PBS can offer you something you can enjoy with your kids. There is so much to choose from on the website, I was excited at first.

That is when I envisioned my child’s future of being glued to a cell phone just like every teenager I see. I know PBS is just trying to keep up with the times while still offering educational activities for parents and their kids. I just don’t see it as smart to get my young children hooked on mobile phone downloads.

I have the internet blocked from my phone so that I am not tempted to use it while away from my computer. I have no games on the phone so the kids won’t see my phone as a toy. I see the way they act when my mom visits. They don’t even spend time with her; they just want her phone to play the games despite the fact that they have the same games on their Play Station.

When spending time with my kids, we do things together that don’t involve technology. Just pure imagination and fun like when I was a kid and phones and computers were not accessible.

How do you feel about PBS offering mobile downloads that will get your pre-schoolers hooked on a cell phone?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal