Say that your kid got an iPad and the Proloquo2Go program. And say that for the first couple of months he was using it a lot to communicate and you were very psyched.
And then one day, your husband (not his real name) showed your kid how to watch car wash videos on YouTube. Just suppose.
And after that, your kid hardly ever wanted to use his iPad and Proloquo2Go at home for speech because he was completely obsessed with watching random cars going through random car washes. Who could have guessed that so many people would bother to tape this stuff? Worse, whenever possible, this kid's sister would beg to borrow the iPad and use it to play games. Sometimes, she would stuff the iPad under her shirt and sneak it into the car. Once, she attempted to bring it into the bathtub but was foiled by her wise (and beautiful) mother.
Say that this has been our family. And I am going nuts. In desperation, I asked Max's speech therapist at school to videotape him using the iPad and Proloquo2Go—since he gladly uses them there—so I can motivate him at home. It's typical: Max does stuff at school that he won't do for us.
Say that this has been our family. And I am going nuts. In desperation, I asked Max's speech therapist at school to videotape him using the iPad and Proloquo2Go—since he gladly uses them there—so I can motivate him at home. It's typical: Max does stuff at school that he won't do for us.
This situation calls for drastic measures. I'm going to erase YouTube from the iPad, ban Sabrina from using it (trust me, the kid has plenty of video games to occupy her time) and prepare for a double meltdown.
Meanwhile, above is a video of Max navigating his way around the iPad during speech therapy in school, and here's one of him in class figuring out the date.
Me, I am off to finish Max's car wash costume and further enable his obsession.
Me, I am off to finish Max's car wash costume and further enable his obsession.
Ellen, my god Max just gets more beautiful every day. I know keeping on task is important and all that, but oh, I have some sympathy with the impulse to show that kid some car wash videos and buy him a bear--those eyes are at least a mitigating factor in your husband's defense, no? :)
ReplyDeleteThis is us. I can barely show Benjamin the elaborate picture schedules ive created for him on the iPad before he yanks it away to play a game. And I am too wimpy to tell his brother not to use it. I just can't deal with fighting about it every day!
ReplyDeleteGosh, he is cute.. even more so in video. Love the new footage.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that the iPad can do so much so cheaply. That's the good news. The bad news is that it IS full of distractions!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at the part about your husband..
ReplyDeleteSo amazing how technology can help though..
your son is just adorable..
It's funny--Mateo does a lot of things in school/therapy that he won't do at home!!
ReplyDeleteMax is so cute. It's a lesson in the downfalls of the computer. We've all succumbed at one time or another to it's distractions.
ReplyDeleteMax is just like the rest of us... I am sitting here reading YOUR BLOG instead of doing my work!!!!!! Not that reading your blog isn't extremely important of course...
ReplyDeleteMax is so beautiful!!!
I just adore that wiseass grin! He's doing so well with the iPad too!!
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway you could disable the wireless from the iPad (and have it still work solely for Proloquo2Go purposes)? Then you could make Max and Sabrina use a desktop computer for Youtube, etc. That would eliminate the competiton for the iPad for other purposes. The only other option is to buy Sabrina an iPad of her own!
He's really got the hang of that thing--how wonderful! He can't help but learn to read just using it--I'll bet he recognizes FIRE TRUCK without the pictures, and a lot of other words as well. What a marvellous device! Too cool!!!
He does really well and I love his focus!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is just the opposite. She will not do things at school that she does at home.
He has the cutest smile. And so smart I have to say! Good job Max!
ReplyDeleteHe has the BEST smile.
ReplyDeleteI think you are wise to delete youtube from the ipad and prepare for the double meltdown. I SUPPORT YOU, ELLEN.
Ellen - Max is such a handsome kid - and seems like such a mischievous little boy, very much like my T-man - you are truly blessed - what a kid!
ReplyDeleteWe are purchasing an iPad soon!
Kristen
I am so impressed with Max. I think he is doing really well with the ipad. Love these videos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the enthusiasm, everyone! And the support, Margie!!! And, I can only agree, Max is cute. And yes, Kristen, he has a mischievous side! Lots of them!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my world. So many great things to do on the computer, and my kid researches the history of Mario and Luigi. And that's only because I blocked YouTube, where you can watch countless videos of Nintendo screen as people play their games.
ReplyDeleteOn the bright side, this is actually progress. He can find what he wants on a COMPUTER, WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY SKILL IN TODAY'S WORLD AND CAN OFTEN COMPENSATE FOR OTHER MISSING SKILLS.
oops- sorry about the caps.
ReplyDeleteWow. I love these videos for two reasons--ONE, look how smart he is! and TWO, because Charlie is making those sounds too and I knew they were talking and here I hear Max making them too--hooray! My boy is talking--now if I only knew what he was saying.
ReplyDeleteAnd we have similar issues with the iPad being a toy and not a tool. Sigh.
Okay, this post convinced me that maybe we aren't ready for an iPad yet...my son is currently obsessing over trash and the trash trucks.:)
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, Ellen! Max is so cute and so smart. :)
ReplyDeleteJust been playing with the doodle buddy app with Mikey. We don't have the proloquo stuff. Mikey loved it and it was amazing seeing him use his fingers so well. He thought it was hilarious using the stamps - especially the poo with the noise!
ReplyDeleteHe hates doing mark making in other forms but this got him drawing and enjoying it!
I'm interested to see what other cheap or free apps are helpful for our kids - have you got any recommendations? X
Alice, I'm working on list of apps with the speech/tech people at Max's school (including Max's favorites, too) will run it in the near future.
ReplyDelete