I love the imagination involved in writing and illustrating Children’s Books.  To tell a great story to kids requires a simplistic yet engaging structure which is very challenging to obtain.  It is so much fun to do. I also believe that books are essential to the development of children.  Kids should have access to as many books as possible to help them grow, learn, and to assist them in their imagination and creativity. 

Yes, my experiences with my nieces and nephews, and now my very own toddler inspired my latest book#BabyLove: My Toddler Life.  The inspiration arose when I visited my family for a weekend.  One of my nieces watched me enter my passcode while I unlocked my phone.  Later, she found my phone on a table and took endless selfies of her eyebrows, nose, hair, and every once in awhile a photo of her entire face.  It was a funny surprise to see all of her pictures on my phone.

For this particular book, I want readers to understand and think about how technology impacts our daily lives- especially raising children.  Whether people agree and admit to or not, technology plays a role in almost everything we do today. Like anything else, there are positive and negative consequences of technology and parenting.  I know them all too well.  I appreciate the ability to share photos and videos with loved ones who live near and far away, either privately or via a social network.  I also understand the challenges of managing the amount of picture taking and sharing that I do. For parents, another challenge is moderating how often to allow children screen time and access to devices.  There is no simple answer.  It is very much an individual and family decision.   What matters is the safety and healthy development of our children, and most importantly is the love, and in the moment attention, we give to them.

Children playing with phones and tablets is usually inevitable. The proper security measures need to be in place for kids who have access to these devices.  Parents should research appropriate apps and shows for the kids before letting them play. The amount of time and which devices kids use is a personal and family decision. Ironically, my daughter only uses my phone or tablet to watch her favorite shows while we are traveling on a plane or if we need a distraction while finishing our dinner at a restaurant.  Our family created a routine when we go out to eat.  First, my daughter colors or reads books while we wait for the food to arrive.  Once the food arrives we eat.  When she finishes everything or an agreed upon amount she gets to watch her show.  Then my husband and I can finish our meal. With our permission, her grandparents allow her to play simple games on their phones or tablets when we see them- which unfortunately isn’t very often.  

Parenting is awesome and fun, but it also brings daily challenges.  Those challenges are ever changing.  We need to love our kids and to keep their safety at the forefront of everything we do.  Technology is just one of many different topics that will continue to challenge parents regularly. Also, encourage kids to read.  Reading is so valuable to their learning and developing, and it is fun.