Raising Your Kids on Apple

It was my daughter’s 2nd birthday a couple of weeks ago and after congratulating myself on another successful year of parenthood, I came to the realization, with great trepidation, that it was almost time to make THE decision. After all she will almost be of the age when I allow her to use a computer. I mean really tinker with one. A computer that she can call her own. And of course, I don’t want her to be behind in her tech skills when she enters kindergarten.

The decision to start her off with a Mac seems to be easy to make at first. My wife and I have both been raised with Apple and continue to champion all that Apple throws our way. We even used a Mac Classic in addition to our other computers up to about 5 years ago (when we donated it to Hadley’s Apple Museum�). We both have experience in the design industry and therefore have found practical uses for our machines in both business and home use. And we appreciate beautiful things and thus have grown accustomed to a gleaming, white, work of art in the family room, a silver masterpiece adorning the office, and a white and chrome beauty in my pocket.

Of course we would start her off with a Mac right? Not so fast. When carefully weighing the options I realized there were more than just “pros” on my list. First off: price. If we started her on Mac, there really was no turning back. I’m not going to have her do the reverse switch to PC because I can’t afford to upgrade her when she’s making an iMovie for her 5th grade science class. If I start it, I need to see it through. Which means, in my estimation, up to 2 desktops, 2 laptops, and 3 iPods by the time she graduates college. There’s no “Daddy can’t afford to get you that 12G iPod for Christmas honey, how about a Dell DJ?” (Please see my previous article,  “Are you with us or against us” for further rationale)

But pricing aside, am I, in my pursuit to dictate life’s important decision to my daughter, in fact holding her back? If she follows in her old man’s footsteps, she’ll be fine. She will got to RISD just like her parents. She will graduate with a degree in Graphic Design. She will earn a living in the advertising industry and maybe even write for this very website. I can see it now, quizzing each other in key commands over dinner. A guy can dream right? But what if she decides to be a banker? An accountant? Or most any other non-design industry career? She will be unfamiliar with Windows. Unfamiliar with “Alt” keys! Will she be disadvantaged? That is a scary thought for a guy that wants nothing but the best for his children. (That’s me in case you weren’t sure)

So what do I do? At first my thought was to buy a PC machine and a Mac. Give her the option you know? After sleeping on it (bad dreams) and slapping my forehead a few times, I realized that was not a smart thing to do. I called my local school system. They have Mac and PC computer labs in the school. “At least she will have options to use those machines” I muttered under my breath with a deep disdain. Man I sure hope things don’t fly that way because then I might actually have to call tech support and ask for help with PC problems. With Macs, I can pretty much solve the issues myself.

So I’ve decided. Keep my household pure. All Mac. All the time. Let the schools corrupt my kid not me. Now for the particulars. How do I make this work? Again, I only have a couple of years. I needed to set up a 2 year plan. Then it hit me! She won’t need new computers! Doh! My wife and I do! I would just place my daughter onto the priority ladder in the household 3rd: after my wife and before my son (coming March 2005). I, of course, am #1 because I made up the list. This is perfect! I want the new G5 iMac. I’ll buy the G5 iMac for me right now to pair it up with my G4 Powerbook. Then, in a year, I’ll buy the new Powerbook, pass my G4 Powerbook to the wife. In turn, she passes her G4 iMac to my daughter. Then the cycle starts. Ok I added the G5 iMac into the mix because I want it. Not because it’s necessary for the Ng Family Computer Co-Op Program.

However I end up equipping my children with Macs, I will do it with complete dedication and resolve. After all, I don’t want to have a computer war in my own household. I want this house to remain pure. Now I need to worry if my daughter dates a guy who is corrupted.