This
morning Lizzy woke up and put the ipad in bed with her. She knows how
to turn it on to play the games and stories. It’s an activity that has
become routine as I get ready
for work. Several of her favorites are the Starfall apps, especially
the turkey one. When she gets something right, the app plays a tune from
Scott Joplin’s
The Entertainer. She loves to move her hands as if she
is leading the orchestra. She has a smile of satisfaction when I mimic
her, like she knows she is accomplishing something tremendous!
The other apps that she likes to watch are Mercer Mayer’s books.
On this particular morning I was taken back in time – again – as I
prepared for work. Way back before Lizzy was even a twinkle in Brook’s
eyes and even further back before Brook was a twinkle
in my own, young, innocent eyes ( I can hear John and Brook cough and
choke at
young, innocent), Dad worked for a company that installed security
systems. He not only installed the alarms but maintained them as well.
So, anytime they malfunctioned or went off, the technicians were alerted
and sent out to investigate. This gave Dad
the opportunity to meet some very famous people, including Mercer
Mayer’s mother.
Mercer Mayer wrote and illustrated children’s books. On one of
Dad’s calls, he was sent out to the home of Mr. Mayer’s mother. She gave
Dad a copy of the book,
Just for You. I still have it. It is truly ranked as one of my favorites. I have read it to hundreds of children throughout the years.
Technology is so accessible today that my toddler grandchildren can
watch and hear the books on a thin tablet at the touch of a baby finger -
while sitting in bed. As the story is
read, the words being read are high-lighted in blue, except for the Christmas one. The letters pop out in red. When a picture is
touched, the name of it springs out in blue letters, again, red for the Christmas version. When the
spider and grasshopper are touched, they are tallied at the end of the
story. The book has gone from being a paper-backed copy to an
interactive game that a 14 month old child can manipulate. When the book
came out, we thought we were so modern with what was
then available. I have heard that we haven’t even scratched the surface
of what will be offered in the future. I look forward to seeing what my
grandchildren will be “reading” to their children. By the same token, I
am thankful for having what we did have,
such as paper copies of books. I am also thankful for my dad having the
job that he did have at that time.
Kelli McDonald
9 December 2013
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