Ask HN: Teaching your kids technology without helicoptering
I think a lot of tech-literate people make the mistake of becoming helicopter parents when it comes to technology. They become IT support for their children, and the kids develop a sort of 'learned helplessness', where they expect their dad (usually... sometimes mom) to solve the technical issues.
Thinking back to my own childhood (born '71), I seemed to learn the most when left alone, with no distractions. Figuring things out this way seemed to make it stick out n my head.
What mattered perhaps was the (accidental) order which things were presented to me. A Commodore 64, a manual, some games, literally copying code from computer magazines. No internet to distract. This got my interest, and prompted me to learn.
What order should I present tech to a young kid? I'm inspired by this article which someone teaches his kid about gaming by starting off with old school games: https://medium.com/message/playing-with-my-son-e5226ff0a7c3
Here is a rough outline I'm the thinking of:
* First computer, a pi or similar, with Linux and no GUI. No WiFi. A few CLI-based games. A Python manual, and some python games to type in. Keyboard, but no mouse.
* (After getting ok at touch typing, and getting a very basic understanding of python, then ...)
* UI updated to split-screen shell and browser. Still no Wifi. Book about HTML, CSS, and simple JS.
* (After gaining proficiency making web pages, then...)
* Wifi added (switches off at bedtime?)
* (More proficiency)
* Upgraded computer to Mac
* Etc
Reading this back it seems a little dry, and perhaps expecting a lot of a little kid. And what will they think when they go to their friends house and see their bells-and-whistles computer?
What does HN think?