Gadgets No More!!!

My kids used to love arts and outdoor activities, especially Ate. She would often surprise me with cards with "I love you" and hearts all over the paper. She would color, scribble, write and draw nonstop until all her books are filled with her cute little doodles. They love playing hide and seek while both of them hide and well, no one left to seek. :p They love running around our small garage. And they always fight whose turn it is for the bicycle. Silly kids!

But there came the day that we thought gadgets are cool and awesome. Everyone seems to be enjoying it. Almost all of my friends' kids own one. And they look smart with it. So we gave in and introduced iPad to the kids. 

And now I regret it. Silly me!

The cards are now gone. Her crayons are intact and unbroken. The art materials are neat and complete. The bicycle is hidden somewhere. My kids are idle.

It was good at first. The Little Girl learned songs from YouTube. Ate enjoyed watching PlayDoh tutorials and had fun playing kid-friendly games. They learned how to share since there's only one iPad for both of them. And the best part of it, we had some time off with the kids which meant more quality time for me and the hubby. We started to enjoy our coffee and mealtime without the Little Girl climbing our lap. I got to enjoy me-time in the shower longer than the usual. I had some moment of peace. It helped us one way or another. Or so I thought.

I must admit that I enjoyed those days that they are glued to whatever was playing on the iPad. But during those times, I noticed unwanted changes with my sweet little darlings. They became stubborn, easily irritated, smart-mouthed and lazy. Oftentimes, I find myself under my 5-year old daughter's command. She would often throw tantrums that are beyond my imagination. My Little Girl seems to love her Ate so much that she imitates everything. That made me decide to stop giving them any gadgets including our mobile phones. I also limited the TV time. I honestly feel guilty about all these. I should have known better especially when it was written everywhere that gadgets won't do any good to our kids. 

We are on our first week but I hope and pray that everything will be alright for my kids. We're having a hard time with Ate but I am sure with our love and proper guidance, she'll understand us sooner. 

How do you manage your kids mommies?