“Alright, everyone, I said no more videos. Step away from the screen,” I warned, marching towards the couch where my kids were glued to the glowing device, their faces lit up in excitement. My youngest clutched the iPad, nestled in its obnoxious protective cover, while my eldest scrambled back, looking guilty. It turned out they weren’t watching their usual shows; they were on Pandora.
“I just wanted to see who’s singing, Mom,” he said, and I felt my irritation dissolve. As a music lover, I took pride in nurturing a similar passion in my children. I tried to maintain my composure. “That’s enough screen time for today.”
“Can I use your phone instead?” he asked, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
“For what?” I replied.
“To make a video.”
I hesitated, feeling the constraints of my phone’s memory. “Just one more, I promise.” A sense of impending social media glory washed over me as I thought about sharing this moment. “Alright, go ahead.”
As I tried to reclaim the iPad from my toddler, who had decided it was a chew toy, I soon found myself in a sweaty battle with my eldest. “Do you want to see it?” he asked, returning triumphantly. “Sure, show me your masterpiece.”
We set up in front of the air conditioner to escape the heat. “Is this a clock?” I asked, noticing the blue numbers flashing on the screen.
“It’s the radio, Mom!” he beamed, fists clenched in excitement.
I squinted at the screen. “You filmed the clock on the radio? No wonder my phone is lagging.” My frustration began to creep back.
“Just listen, Mom,” he urged. I turned the volume up, trying to ignore the air conditioner’s roar. The bass line thumped, and my son announced proudly, “It’s our song!”
In that moment, I realized this was as close as my children would get to experiences I had cherished: lying on a shag carpet, spinning records on a portable player, or eagerly waiting to record their favorite song off the radio. They would never know the thrill of reading liner notes or the art of flipping through vinyl covers.
Accepting this, I decided to loosen my grip on screen time. I led my son back to the living room, clearing away snack debris as I made a new rule: “If you’re listening to music, you can use the iPad without asking.”
With the iPad secured, I unlocked it and said, “Let’s see who’s singing. Sounds familiar.” To my surprise, my son quickly corrected me, insisting that Mickey Mouse was the artist behind the tune. My heart sank a bit at the thought of the songs he’d grow up with, but I looked forward to exploring music together, regardless of the format.
For more insights on parenting and finding ways to connect with your kids through music, check out our other blog posts like this one about home insemination kits. You can also find valuable information on pregnancy at Womens Health and insights on social life related to parenting at Intracervical Insemination.
In summary, I’ve decided to give my child unrestricted access to the iPad’s music features, allowing him to explore his musical interests freely. Despite my initial hesitations, this approach fosters a connection to music that I hope will remain with him throughout his life.