Too young for tech?

It's an ongoing debate with few answers and no definitive research: whether exposure to technology is good for the littlest tykes. The Associated Press recently did a good job of framing the debate. On the one hand, "some parents and scholars see no benefit, and a handful even warn of a hindrance to child development." On the other: "Developers of the kids site Googles.com - not to be confused with the search engine - say their games and songs promote self-esteem. Scholastic Inc. says its Clifford products teach reading and music - not to mention computing. Others say they can't possibly quell their kids' curiosity for a machine their parents - and older siblings - are using so much." The only thing that's clear: "More research is needed, proponents and skeptics agree." And besides that, some numbers gathered to date, such as these from the Kaiser Family Foundation: 31% of children 3 and under are already using computers; 16% percent use them several times a week; 21% can point and click with a mouse by themselves; and 11% can turn on the computer without assistance." In the end, as usual, it's up to parents to decide what's best for their children. We'd love to hear from you about that - via feedback@netfamilynews.org!