The new way to play
Like a lot of mums, Ada Nicodemou has had to deal with digital distraction. When her son Johnas was little, he played with his toys but as he grew older, screens, with their mesmerising games and characters, became more alluring.
‘He started off having a play with the ipad, but he wasn’t on it for that long,’ Ada says. ‘But then he started wanting it more and more, and he wasn’t engaging in conversations.’
With high-tech devices also interfering with her son’s eating habits, the Home And Away star started to think more about how and when four-year-old Johnas should engage with technology. She could see the benefits – and the reality of being part of the digital generation – but she was also determined to foster his creativity and imagination.
Ada, who’ll celebrate
‘Mate, it’s horrific compared to having a natural delivery. It kills, it absolutely kills. The fact that you are awake in major abdominal surgery is mind-boggling and freaky’ – Bec Judd, TV presenter and mother-of-four discussing having a caesarean after two natural births
her 40th birthday on Mother’s Day, says her irregular filming schedule means no two weeks are the same, but she wanted some hard and fast rules around technology.
As the spokesperson of a new Play-doh product that combines old-style shaping, squishing and squeezing with a new interactive app, Ada says she’s learnt to seek out tech experiences that are both educational and entertaining.
She encourages Johnas to use the stampers and cutters to make his PlayDoh creations and then bring them to life by scanning them using the Play-doh touch app. He can then enjoy interacting on screen with his characters and create new friends.
As Ada says: ‘He’ll make a character at home then we’ll upload it. If I need to take him to the hairdresser with me, I’ll bring the ipad and he can play on the app.’
Although Johnas’ father Chrys Xipolitas and Ada’s mum Jenny both help with childcare, the actress says she’s also had to make adjustments since becoming a mother.
‘I’ve learnt to let things go,’ she says. ‘I’m still a perfectionist but I’ve learnt to relax, and when I’m with Johnas I try not to go on my phone. I’ve realised I can’t control everything in life.’
However, one thing Ada will be in charge of this Mother’s Day is treating her own mum.
‘We’ll do something with Mum. Funnily enough, I was born on a Mother’s Day and now I’ll be celebrating my 40th on one!’