Tuesday 15 July 2008

Can someone explain this to me?

Little Fish is obsessed with the computer. If I'm sitting at it, she's sitting at it, little fingers just gently tapping at the fringes of the keys or trying to drive holes through the screen. If I'm not sitting at it, she makes a beeline for it, hitting the keys, deleting paragraphs, setting MSN to ignore friends, and generally causing mayhem.

Every time she tries this I tell her not to touch the buttons. Every time I leave the computer I tell her not to touch. Every time I come back into the room to find her deleting my programmes, I shout or stomp or remove her from the room or move the computer away and ignore here (not all at once obviously; have tried dozens of different ways of getting her to leave the thing alone). Each time, she looks at me being cross and laughs or shrugs or pootles off to wherever I have put the computer and starts again. Every single time, no matter what I do, she is completely unbothered by the fact that I am cross with her.

So, just now, I once again put the computer down and left the room. When I came back, she hadn't moved, the computer was untouched. So I told her she was a very good girl, I was very pleased with her, well done, fantastic, and all the rest of it. And she burst into tears as if I had given her the worst telling off ever.

So what's that all about then?

She does "get" when I'm cross about other things - she's very good at "orry Mummy" when she's emptied the pantry or scribbled on the floor or raided the breadbin; it's only the computer she does this with.

Tia

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you find the answer, let me know - one of my friend's sons does the exact same when you praise him for helping with certain tasks (well, he scowls and contradicts you too - he's older than LF).

Anonymous said...

Not sure what to say--Maybe the attraction of the computer is worth getting scolded etc. Does she have a toy-or something that works somewhat like a computer that she could play on while you are on your computer?
Debra

Doorless said...

Can you find one that does not work or get a kids copy of one and give her her own special big girl computer? I think she wants to be like you.

Tia said...

She has a computer toy which she likes, but prefers mine - and we have a second computer - pc rather than laptop - which she likes to press buttons on but still can't resist the lure of the laptop.

I suspect the real solution is to keep it switched off when she's awake but nooooooooo!
Tia

Sib said...

i had this problem with K
my solution was to teach her how to use it properly
took some time but now she can access the net find her fav from the bookmarks and go on it (ceebebies,nick jr and monkeybar)
she rarely messes with my links and programs now

Robyn said...

teach her to use it then you can dictate posts or emails or letters to her whilst doing something else!
all win! :)

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