Gadgets and Technology

How old were your kids when the things on their birthday and holiday wish lists went from reasonably priced toys to gadgets and/or electronic that equals your monthly mortgage, or at the very least, a car payment?

It seems that every year, that age of “ooohhh, shiny!” gets younger and younger. My children are 12 and 7 and they already ask for things such as iPods, iPads and eReaders. Of course, just because they ask doesn’t mean they receive, lol. But it’s harder to buy other stuff for them when we know how badly they want those pricier items.

To be quite honest, I can justify many of the gadgets they ask for. I can justify MP3 players, as I am a huge fan of all kinds of music. I can justify tablets because they can do so much of their online homeschool curriculum stuff on them. I can justify eReaders because anything that helps to encourage and promote reading (because they want to, not because they have to!) is a plus in my book. And honestly…I can justify their “want” because I want them same things for myself! :)

Giving a Helping Hand

One of the many things I wish to instill into my children is that they should always be ready to help others in need; whether this is someone in our family, a friend or someone in our community.

While there are many benefits to homeschooling, the flexibility of our schedule so we can volunteer and help is a wonderful thing. We participate in community service projects with our Scouts; projects like a city clean up, meal delivery for the elderly and clothing collections for those that need them a couple of times a year. We also like to do things during the holidays with our homeschool group. We sing Christmas carols at local nursing homes, and we bring fruit and greeting cards for the residents there.

Some people help out by contributing financially, and that’s great. But I do want them to realize that writing a check, while beneficial, isn’t the only way to help someone out. Donating your time can just as appreciated, if not more so, by those in need.