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Comment by carabiner | Hacker News Reader

Most important thing is that she spends a lot of time outside playing and interacting with other kids.

I cannot agree more with you, hence the "(if any)" in my comment. Playing with other kids is our highest priority, and that's also something I also plan to work on harder this year (engage more with other parents, less extra activities after school, etc).

But on one hand I'm a "maker" and I cannot stop thinking in crafting new things, and this could help others too.. and on the other hand I see she has an immense interest (and capability), which I'm always repressing.. and I'd love to find a good balance.

Thanks, I appreciate the comment :)

The odds seem higher for that if using a computer like OP describes rather than a traditional ipad loaded with games

haha :D

Sorry, I'm not sure if that came off as an insult("the kid won't use that computer"), but just that the kid will probably use the computer to the extent that it is useful or interesting to her, and have an easier time putting it aside, which is different from traditional computing these days where everything is designed to suck you in regardless of what your interests are.

yeah I took it as "she won't use that" which was hilarious. But you are right, what I pretend is to remove the addictiveness part of current computers, and make it a useful, exploratory, learning tool. Which will demand effort from her, and will get her tired much sooner than youtube.

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