By trade, I am a web designer / developer and a graphic designer. I was exposed early on to computers and loved creating graphics on my dad’s old Apple. So when it comes to teaching my child about computers I’m all in! They are very useful tools for many professions and now-a-days they are used in the classrooms. I’m also a crafter so I love doing things with my hands off the computer. We have a pretty good balance.
I needed to check on something for work while Caitlyn was finishing getting her pajamas on so I was on my computer when she came in all dressed. She wanted to sit with me while I completed what I was doing. Afterward, as she sat in my lap, she started asking questions about the different keys on the keyboard and why was I pressing certain keys. I love her questions because it makes me really think about what I’m doing. I also love to teach and rarely hesitate to take an opportunity with her (even if it should be bedtime). Life is just too short!
I love her curiosity and her yearning to know more about the things and activities around her. She started at the top row and asked what the different keys do. I confess, I actually didn’t know what they all did so as I pressed each one we discovered some new things together! One thing led to another, we started talking about the letters and she pointed to the letter “C” on the keyboard. Then I had an idea… let’s play around in photoshop where could make the letters really big, spell her name and make it whatever color we wanted! <3
The result… Caitlyn’s first “graphic design” project =) She was totally the creative director on this one!! HAHA! We started with her name and then she wanted “mom” then ‘ “dad” should go next to “mom” because he loves her’ and then Isaac needs to go next to Caitlyn because “I love him” she said… lastly, “we need to add Love.” I asked her would she like the word love or a heart. She picked the color of the heart — “dark blue” and the letters too…”I like the yellow,” she said with a smile.
I asked her what she thought and she was pleased and excited to see the result. I promised her we would print it tomorrow for her to see what it looks like off the computer!
I then got to explain that this is what mommy does for work – I get to draw and create on the computer and get paid for it! So glad she is interested in what I do.