There was a time not so long ago when Bill & I moved in with each other and realized we had two of those little tiny screwdriver sets. And we thought that was a little bit silly. Maybe we should keep one in the closet and one near the entertainment center? But what could we possibly do with two of those little screwdriver sets?
Then we had children. Soon tiny screwdriver sets became necessary quite often. Batteries for toys, bouncy seats, Nerf guns, you name it. While on this topic- you wouldn't believe the amount of batteries we go through in this house. And no matter how many batteries we keep in the house (we buy them in bulk... with coupons), we're always missing the size we need. There's nothing like keeping a kid in suspense on Christmas morning when he wants to use his new remote control car. Sorry kiddo, we need 5 AA's for the remote and 3 C's for the car. We only have 2 of each. You'll have to wait until tomorrow. Bummer.
Not to mention fixing your glasses (the originally intended purpose for tiny screwdrivers) when your baby snatches your glasses/sunglasses off of your face and contorts them unnaturally.
This evening I was using the tiny screwdriver for an alternate purpose. Joshua had stuck a Mega Block into a shape box and it was stuck (or "guck" depending on who you spoke to about the problem). I had already tried to use ice tongs, a butter knife and a potato peeler to get the block out but it just wasn't budging. So I tried to pry it out with a tiny screwdriver. That didn't work either. Then I realized there was a tiny screw in the box so I could just take the box apart and push the block out of the tube it was stuck in. So with little fanfare I did just that. Okay, there was more drama than just that- I lost the screw (found by Liam) and it took more time to actually put it back together than it did to take it apart. But in the end, all was well and the block was retrieved... thanks to our mini screwdriver. Gee, thanks mini screwdriver for saving another one of our toys, we needed that one!
If you are about to have a baby and you only have one tiny screwdriver set; do yourself a favor. Go and get another set. Actually, get two more sets because you just never know when you are going to need one and you wouldn't want to have to go searching for the original one in a desperate time of need. While you're at the store, you should also buy as many packages of batteries as your cart will hold. You will need them soon enough, I assure you.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Eco-Irony From a Mom's Perspective
Let's talk about irony. The irony of being a mom in the 21st Century eco-friendly culture. We have disposable diapers and reusable grocery bags. I looked it up online and, as most people who depend on the Internet for research do, read the first article I came across and decided it was true. It was an article on eHow by Deb Barracato titled Environmental Impact of Disposable Diapers. The article stated that the average child will soil 5,000 diapers before he/she is potty trained. It's illustrated by a picture of a diapered cutey with the caption, "Parents will change up to 10,000 soiled diapers before their child potty trains." Excuse me, I'll take the baby who only soils 5,000 diapers please! Okay, so clearly his diaper argument could go on forever and (someone else) could write their own blog about it, but what I'm getting at is this: Most of us use these disposable diapers and yet we consider ourselves to be eco-friendly when we go to the store with those reusable shopping bags. Or in my case, hope they remember to give you that 6 cent credit per bag when you reuse the store's own grocery bags from a previous trip. Meanwhile, our kids are pooping and peeing up a storm in these diapers which we are dumping into landfills across the nation. But this is only the beginning of our ironic quest for eco-friendly options in a world where our neighbors put their Christmas tree out on the curb in a plastic bag (I kid you not, a perfectly good, natural tree... in a garbage bag).
Each year I revel in the joy that is garage sales (not sure if that worked grammatically). There's a special place in my heart for the bi-annual kids sale that fills up a local sports arena with consignment kids clothes, toys, books and gear. Oh joy is the only mood as I scoop up previously loved Baby GAP clothes ($2-10), Leapster Games (they cost $20 at the store yet at this kids sale, you can get a bag with games and a whole used game system for $12) and Matchbox Pop Up boxes for $3! It's environmentally friendly too; reusing other peoples' kids' stuff. I mean, kids wear and play with things for such a short time, they so rarely get used up, might as well let strangers reuse them for a small fee! This would all be well and good, the quest for used cheap stuff (saving packaging & waste) if it weren't for the fact that it doesn't curtail us buying new stuff very much at all. No, we continue to buy new toys for birthdays and holidays. Toys in packages designed to catch a young-person's eye in a toy aisle. Packages that trap the toys inside for a full 10 minutes after they have been opened by the kid, while the parent feverishly tries to rip off cardboard, unravel plastic coated metal twisties, even sometimes unscrewing from their death-like grasp to.. the box! And after all that wasted packaging a few years later (maybe months) the toy is spent, broken and/or outgrown. Maybe we'll pass it on but often it is just more plastic in a garbage can.
There's the walking to offer fresh air at a local park. But how do you get there? By car. And how do you get to the ice cream place afterwards? By car.
... The purchasing of organic produce, but forgetting that there's pesticides in your wheat so that the bread you just bought might not be in your family's best interest.
... The urge to get a shiny new hybrid followed by the reality of getting a larger used sedan because it's cheaper and may have better safety ratings.
... And a little known fact as you pack your child's lunch bag with his/her reusable Hello Kitty/Iron Man insulated tote: those plastic yogurt containers you're sending with your kid each day? They're getting thrown out. Probably the juice bottles too. No one is washing them out and recycling them. If your child buys a lunch, it's probably served on a Styrofoam tray.
We live in constant irony here. Sometimes to me it seems we take a small step forward and a few steps back (I know, I didn't make that up). I want to be better- to use the reusable shopping bags AND the reusable diapers. I'd love to buy a certified used Hybrid. I haven't yet, but I recognize my faults here. While I may not be saving the planet, perhaps I can console myself in knowing that at least I'm not deluding myself to think that being an eco-friendly mom is easy.
Each year I revel in the joy that is garage sales (not sure if that worked grammatically). There's a special place in my heart for the bi-annual kids sale that fills up a local sports arena with consignment kids clothes, toys, books and gear. Oh joy is the only mood as I scoop up previously loved Baby GAP clothes ($2-10), Leapster Games (they cost $20 at the store yet at this kids sale, you can get a bag with games and a whole used game system for $12) and Matchbox Pop Up boxes for $3! It's environmentally friendly too; reusing other peoples' kids' stuff. I mean, kids wear and play with things for such a short time, they so rarely get used up, might as well let strangers reuse them for a small fee! This would all be well and good, the quest for used cheap stuff (saving packaging & waste) if it weren't for the fact that it doesn't curtail us buying new stuff very much at all. No, we continue to buy new toys for birthdays and holidays. Toys in packages designed to catch a young-person's eye in a toy aisle. Packages that trap the toys inside for a full 10 minutes after they have been opened by the kid, while the parent feverishly tries to rip off cardboard, unravel plastic coated metal twisties, even sometimes unscrewing from their death-like grasp to.. the box! And after all that wasted packaging a few years later (maybe months) the toy is spent, broken and/or outgrown. Maybe we'll pass it on but often it is just more plastic in a garbage can.
There's the walking to offer fresh air at a local park. But how do you get there? By car. And how do you get to the ice cream place afterwards? By car.
... The purchasing of organic produce, but forgetting that there's pesticides in your wheat so that the bread you just bought might not be in your family's best interest.
... The urge to get a shiny new hybrid followed by the reality of getting a larger used sedan because it's cheaper and may have better safety ratings.
... And a little known fact as you pack your child's lunch bag with his/her reusable Hello Kitty/Iron Man insulated tote: those plastic yogurt containers you're sending with your kid each day? They're getting thrown out. Probably the juice bottles too. No one is washing them out and recycling them. If your child buys a lunch, it's probably served on a Styrofoam tray.
We live in constant irony here. Sometimes to me it seems we take a small step forward and a few steps back (I know, I didn't make that up). I want to be better- to use the reusable shopping bags AND the reusable diapers. I'd love to buy a certified used Hybrid. I haven't yet, but I recognize my faults here. While I may not be saving the planet, perhaps I can console myself in knowing that at least I'm not deluding myself to think that being an eco-friendly mom is easy.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
In Sickness and In Health (but preferably the health part)
I'm happy to say that after a week of being sick, Bill seems to be feeling much better. But it was a rough go while it lasted... for me. Because while my poor sweet hubbie was reduced to a napping mess of blechy I had to hold down the fort- during my vacation.
It all started Christmas day. The day is usually a blur of excitement and work. I try to focus on the joyousness but we're on such a timed schedule throughout the day that it's a challenge- from opening presents to eating breakfast to putting together gifts followed by making, serving, eating & cleaning up after a big dinner! So when Bill started to wilt at about 4 pm I gave him a pitiful face and said I hoped he felt better. And at 5 he told me he was starting to think he actually caught whatever it was that Joshy was sick from, I started to get a bit more concerned. And at 6 pm when there was a flurry of setting the table, finishing up the dinner and rounding up the family I barked the most sympathetic thing I could come up with... "Power through it!" Because if he had fallen down at that moment, I'm just not sure what I would have done. I might have just given up too, I think. So maybe it wasn't exactly in the spirit of the holiday. The spirit of the holiday would have meant I would tell him to go put his feet up by the fire while the children brought him cups of tea (wait, that's not right either). Seriously though, who else was going to carve the turkey?
Isn't that what teamwork is? Not deserting your teammate in her holiday time of need? Okay, so many would argue that teamwork is actually being able to compensate for your teammate if he gets very sick just minutes prior to serving a big family its holiday dinner. Whatever.
During dinner I was quite certain Bill was actually sick because he barely touched his meal. Bill lives for turkey, mashpo and cranberry sauce (only if it's fresh out of the can... with the ridges). I knew it and I felt quite bad about it... so bad that I ate an extra piece of that fine apple hickory smoked turkey he had spent so long grilling all day. Mmmm.... And after the meal I was very supportive of his need to nap. While my mother-in-law cleared the table and father-in-law loaded the first of many loads of dishes I started to clean up the downstairs. I'm glad I did too because I found pepperoni under a couch cushion and what must have been 6 crackers stepped on in the family room.
I maintained my supportive wife role for quite some time, in the holiday spirit. It was a full 12 hours before I cracked again. While Bill was hanging with sick Josh the next morning, I may have barked, "I JUST NEED YOUR HELP OR I'M GOING TO CRY." And considering the state of my house, this was almost expected of me. I visualized myself doing dishes for my entire Christmas vacation. I think we seriously dirtied every dish in the house- plastic and Pfaltzgraph. So I was a little beside myself.
And throughout the week it continued with no signs of getting better. Day after day Bill had no appetite and symptoms of ickiness. Let's not forget that Joshua was showing no signs of getting better either. So I was constantly changing heinous diapers. Each one was worse than the one before it. And to make matters worse, with so many bad diapers he had a horrible rash too so he was writhing in pain. Writhing... with a horribly poopy diaper (gloppy actually). As you can imagine, I did quite a bit of laundry during this bout of illness. Of course, there was also all of the cooking. It probably would have been a little ridiculous of me to expect a sick Bill to cook for Liam and I while he ate only toast. So instead I cooked and had to argue with Liam about my meal choices, "You DO like Beefaroni!"
By Thursday I was really looking forward to a break. Both boys were set up for the day at daycare. My plan was to tackle schoolwork. It didn't go as planned. First of all, I ended up bringing Liam to daycare which took time out of my day-for-myself-schedule. Meanwhile, Bill took Josh to the doctor- after which we decided that it would be best to keep him home. Argh. There went my day to myself, even if it was just a day slated for work.
So naturally I vented to the only person available. The person who was still pitifully sick himself. The person who I was mad at- but not really mad "at". I threw a temper tantrum like a little baby. And soon after, my actual little baby took his three and a half hour nap; and I worked on my schoolwork.
Just like that, all of that "good wife capital" I had earned throughout the week caring for a sick husband and son was spent and gone. Gone. Just for the record, I told Bill that if I am ever again in labor and he tells me to "Power through it", I do reserve the right for my future self to kick him out of the room.
It all started Christmas day. The day is usually a blur of excitement and work. I try to focus on the joyousness but we're on such a timed schedule throughout the day that it's a challenge- from opening presents to eating breakfast to putting together gifts followed by making, serving, eating & cleaning up after a big dinner! So when Bill started to wilt at about 4 pm I gave him a pitiful face and said I hoped he felt better. And at 5 he told me he was starting to think he actually caught whatever it was that Joshy was sick from, I started to get a bit more concerned. And at 6 pm when there was a flurry of setting the table, finishing up the dinner and rounding up the family I barked the most sympathetic thing I could come up with... "Power through it!" Because if he had fallen down at that moment, I'm just not sure what I would have done. I might have just given up too, I think. So maybe it wasn't exactly in the spirit of the holiday. The spirit of the holiday would have meant I would tell him to go put his feet up by the fire while the children brought him cups of tea (wait, that's not right either). Seriously though, who else was going to carve the turkey?
Isn't that what teamwork is? Not deserting your teammate in her holiday time of need? Okay, so many would argue that teamwork is actually being able to compensate for your teammate if he gets very sick just minutes prior to serving a big family its holiday dinner. Whatever.
During dinner I was quite certain Bill was actually sick because he barely touched his meal. Bill lives for turkey, mashpo and cranberry sauce (only if it's fresh out of the can... with the ridges). I knew it and I felt quite bad about it... so bad that I ate an extra piece of that fine apple hickory smoked turkey he had spent so long grilling all day. Mmmm.... And after the meal I was very supportive of his need to nap. While my mother-in-law cleared the table and father-in-law loaded the first of many loads of dishes I started to clean up the downstairs. I'm glad I did too because I found pepperoni under a couch cushion and what must have been 6 crackers stepped on in the family room.
I maintained my supportive wife role for quite some time, in the holiday spirit. It was a full 12 hours before I cracked again. While Bill was hanging with sick Josh the next morning, I may have barked, "I JUST NEED YOUR HELP OR I'M GOING TO CRY." And considering the state of my house, this was almost expected of me. I visualized myself doing dishes for my entire Christmas vacation. I think we seriously dirtied every dish in the house- plastic and Pfaltzgraph. So I was a little beside myself.
And throughout the week it continued with no signs of getting better. Day after day Bill had no appetite and symptoms of ickiness. Let's not forget that Joshua was showing no signs of getting better either. So I was constantly changing heinous diapers. Each one was worse than the one before it. And to make matters worse, with so many bad diapers he had a horrible rash too so he was writhing in pain. Writhing... with a horribly poopy diaper (gloppy actually). As you can imagine, I did quite a bit of laundry during this bout of illness. Of course, there was also all of the cooking. It probably would have been a little ridiculous of me to expect a sick Bill to cook for Liam and I while he ate only toast. So instead I cooked and had to argue with Liam about my meal choices, "You DO like Beefaroni!"
By Thursday I was really looking forward to a break. Both boys were set up for the day at daycare. My plan was to tackle schoolwork. It didn't go as planned. First of all, I ended up bringing Liam to daycare which took time out of my day-for-myself-schedule. Meanwhile, Bill took Josh to the doctor- after which we decided that it would be best to keep him home. Argh. There went my day to myself, even if it was just a day slated for work.
So naturally I vented to the only person available. The person who was still pitifully sick himself. The person who I was mad at- but not really mad "at". I threw a temper tantrum like a little baby. And soon after, my actual little baby took his three and a half hour nap; and I worked on my schoolwork.
Just like that, all of that "good wife capital" I had earned throughout the week caring for a sick husband and son was spent and gone. Gone. Just for the record, I told Bill that if I am ever again in labor and he tells me to "Power through it", I do reserve the right for my future self to kick him out of the room.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Toys That Break Easily
Now that everyone has already bought and received their holiday presents, I will offer some completely useless comments about... THE MOST ANNOYING TOYS!
First, a disclaimer. If you bought us any of these toys, don't fret. You may not have known they were so annoying. We might not have known they were so annoying until it was too late! And on the bright side, many of these most annoying toys are our kids' favorite toys so it's okay... at least you made them happy. On another note, if we have given any of these toys to your kids you may want to take a hint. We want you to be annoyed. Maybe it's fun to have other people suffering with us. On the other hand, maybe we just wanted to make your kids happy... at your expense.
(1) Kitty Keyboard (by Parents)- also known as Meowsic Keyboard (by Battat) or B. Meowsic Keyboard (by Toysmith). I can't believe I'm admitting to this but we actually bought this gift for Liam about 3 years ago for Hannukah with money from my grandma. We thought it was terrific... in the store. It was a keyboard, which would nurture our child's musical ability. There is a microphone to sing into! We liked the different features for musical beats and especially loved the instrument features. One instrument was the "Meow" feature and this is what really sold us. We thoroughly enjoyed the movie, Super Troopers, so any chance to turn Meow into music instantly appealed to us. At home we were amused by the Meow feature for only so long until we realized that the two song options- one with just plain annoying songs and the other with annoying songs about cats- were, well, annoying. And if you leave the kitty keyboard alone for too long she purrs. Let me tell you little kitty, if we leave you alone, it's because we want to and we certainly don't need a reminder 2 1/2 minutes later that you're still there.
(2) Lite Brite (by Hasbro)- Can't these people spell? Thank goodness we don't own a Lite Brite! I have nostalgia for owning a Lite Brite, I truly do. I remember my time with the Lite Brite fondly. I also don't doubt that my kids would love one- there's a similar exhibit at a local museum that they really like. But really, I could do without those teeny tiny transluscent pieces. So I'm quite thankful that we don't have a Lite Brite but I can empathize with anyone who does because it really seems quite annoying. Better to keep it in the daycare center!
(3) Busy Ball Popper (by Playskool)- Yet another company that can't spell! The Busy Ball Popper plays music as a fan blows into a tube filled with hollow balls that then fly out of the top of the Popper. Kids put the balls back on the track, they go back into the tube and it continues. This is a real favorite in our house... when I haven't hidden it away. No really, everyone loves it babies at 3 months to big kids. I've brought mine to school to demonstrate simple machines and electricity and the 9 & 10 year olds even love it. In fact, the Busy Ball Popper is so popular that it is instantly elevated to annoying status because kids enjoy playing with it over and over and over and over again so that the parents in the room are subjected to the same annoying music over and over again and often the responsibility is on us to (a) find the balls that have scattered around the room and (b) fish out other items that have been stuffed into the air tube (tissues don't come out on their own and neither do Legos). My brother-in-laws' family has owned at least 3 Busy Ball Poppers all of which become "broken" and thrown away. I'm pretty sure "Broken" just means out of batteries but in either case, they're out of the picture... until the next birthday perhaps.
(4) Xylophone sticks (by many companies)- I find xylophones to be nothing but trouble... because of the sticks. The sticks end up hitting anything and anyone except for the actual xylophone. The same goes for drumsticks. Musical talent does need to be fostered... but not on a pinewood table (they dent too easily).
(5) Sound Puzzles (by Melissa and Doug)- We have two sound puzzles. I bought the first one, it's a transportation puzzle. So if you put the car into the car slot it makes a vroom vroom sound. The airplane makes a taking off sound and the motorcycle makes a revving sound. The ambulance makes a siren sound, I should know because whenever I turn out the lights in the room that the puzzle is in, I hear the stupid ambulance. My brother-in-law (opposite side) once asked me what the most annoying toy we owned was. I said, "That stupid Kitty Keyboard!" Bill said, "That annoying transportation puzzle that makes the ambulance sound whenever we turn off the lights!" Meanwhile, Liam was opening up a gift from my sister and my brother-in-law. It was a musical instrument sound puzzle. Now whenever we turn out the lights, we hear an ambulance siren followed by a harmonica.
(6) Laugh and Learn Learning Puppy (by Fisher Price)- That seems redundant and repetitive, doesn't it? Joshua loves his Learning Puppy. It's a soft toy that plays music, talks, counts, says the parts of the body, sings the ABC's, etc... What we loathe about the Learning Puppy is that you press the off button on it's paw, it says "Good-bye" and then you press it's other paw and... it's singing again. Really? Didn't I just turn you off? Apparently you have to find the actual off switch under it's fur in the back (by the batteries) in order to turn off the Learning Puppy. If it's switched on, you may hear "Tummy" in a cheerful voice because you happened to throw something on top of it in the toy box. I say, if you have an off button on your paw, that means you're off. Am I right?
(7) Toys that say "I love you" (many brands)- I have a philosophical pet-peeve here. You don't love my baby. I love my baby. If a toys says, "I love you" to Liam or Joshua I plainly tell that the toy doesn't really love them, it's a recording on a toy. And then I tell them, I love them because I'm a real person and real people can love them... but a toy can't.
Before I conclude, I can't help but think that some of you out there may actually try to get my kids these things... because you want to annoy me. Don't think I am not aware of your intentions. If this gift comes to my house in wrapping and it starts making noise before we've even opened it and I hear a "Meow" or a "Choo Choo" or a "It's a great big colorful world out there..." I promise you, I will return the favor on your kid's (or kids') birthday(s)!
First, a disclaimer. If you bought us any of these toys, don't fret. You may not have known they were so annoying. We might not have known they were so annoying until it was too late! And on the bright side, many of these most annoying toys are our kids' favorite toys so it's okay... at least you made them happy. On another note, if we have given any of these toys to your kids you may want to take a hint. We want you to be annoyed. Maybe it's fun to have other people suffering with us. On the other hand, maybe we just wanted to make your kids happy... at your expense.
(1) Kitty Keyboard (by Parents)- also known as Meowsic Keyboard (by Battat) or B. Meowsic Keyboard (by Toysmith). I can't believe I'm admitting to this but we actually bought this gift for Liam about 3 years ago for Hannukah with money from my grandma. We thought it was terrific... in the store. It was a keyboard, which would nurture our child's musical ability. There is a microphone to sing into! We liked the different features for musical beats and especially loved the instrument features. One instrument was the "Meow" feature and this is what really sold us. We thoroughly enjoyed the movie, Super Troopers, so any chance to turn Meow into music instantly appealed to us. At home we were amused by the Meow feature for only so long until we realized that the two song options- one with just plain annoying songs and the other with annoying songs about cats- were, well, annoying. And if you leave the kitty keyboard alone for too long she purrs. Let me tell you little kitty, if we leave you alone, it's because we want to and we certainly don't need a reminder 2 1/2 minutes later that you're still there.
(2) Lite Brite (by Hasbro)- Can't these people spell? Thank goodness we don't own a Lite Brite! I have nostalgia for owning a Lite Brite, I truly do. I remember my time with the Lite Brite fondly. I also don't doubt that my kids would love one- there's a similar exhibit at a local museum that they really like. But really, I could do without those teeny tiny transluscent pieces. So I'm quite thankful that we don't have a Lite Brite but I can empathize with anyone who does because it really seems quite annoying. Better to keep it in the daycare center!
(3) Busy Ball Popper (by Playskool)- Yet another company that can't spell! The Busy Ball Popper plays music as a fan blows into a tube filled with hollow balls that then fly out of the top of the Popper. Kids put the balls back on the track, they go back into the tube and it continues. This is a real favorite in our house... when I haven't hidden it away. No really, everyone loves it babies at 3 months to big kids. I've brought mine to school to demonstrate simple machines and electricity and the 9 & 10 year olds even love it. In fact, the Busy Ball Popper is so popular that it is instantly elevated to annoying status because kids enjoy playing with it over and over and over and over again so that the parents in the room are subjected to the same annoying music over and over again and often the responsibility is on us to (a) find the balls that have scattered around the room and (b) fish out other items that have been stuffed into the air tube (tissues don't come out on their own and neither do Legos). My brother-in-laws' family has owned at least 3 Busy Ball Poppers all of which become "broken" and thrown away. I'm pretty sure "Broken" just means out of batteries but in either case, they're out of the picture... until the next birthday perhaps.
(4) Xylophone sticks (by many companies)- I find xylophones to be nothing but trouble... because of the sticks. The sticks end up hitting anything and anyone except for the actual xylophone. The same goes for drumsticks. Musical talent does need to be fostered... but not on a pinewood table (they dent too easily).
(5) Sound Puzzles (by Melissa and Doug)- We have two sound puzzles. I bought the first one, it's a transportation puzzle. So if you put the car into the car slot it makes a vroom vroom sound. The airplane makes a taking off sound and the motorcycle makes a revving sound. The ambulance makes a siren sound, I should know because whenever I turn out the lights in the room that the puzzle is in, I hear the stupid ambulance. My brother-in-law (opposite side) once asked me what the most annoying toy we owned was. I said, "That stupid Kitty Keyboard!" Bill said, "That annoying transportation puzzle that makes the ambulance sound whenever we turn off the lights!" Meanwhile, Liam was opening up a gift from my sister and my brother-in-law. It was a musical instrument sound puzzle. Now whenever we turn out the lights, we hear an ambulance siren followed by a harmonica.
(6) Laugh and Learn Learning Puppy (by Fisher Price)- That seems redundant and repetitive, doesn't it? Joshua loves his Learning Puppy. It's a soft toy that plays music, talks, counts, says the parts of the body, sings the ABC's, etc... What we loathe about the Learning Puppy is that you press the off button on it's paw, it says "Good-bye" and then you press it's other paw and... it's singing again. Really? Didn't I just turn you off? Apparently you have to find the actual off switch under it's fur in the back (by the batteries) in order to turn off the Learning Puppy. If it's switched on, you may hear "Tummy" in a cheerful voice because you happened to throw something on top of it in the toy box. I say, if you have an off button on your paw, that means you're off. Am I right?
(7) Toys that say "I love you" (many brands)- I have a philosophical pet-peeve here. You don't love my baby. I love my baby. If a toys says, "I love you" to Liam or Joshua I plainly tell that the toy doesn't really love them, it's a recording on a toy. And then I tell them, I love them because I'm a real person and real people can love them... but a toy can't.
Before I conclude, I can't help but think that some of you out there may actually try to get my kids these things... because you want to annoy me. Don't think I am not aware of your intentions. If this gift comes to my house in wrapping and it starts making noise before we've even opened it and I hear a "Meow" or a "Choo Choo" or a "It's a great big colorful world out there..." I promise you, I will return the favor on your kid's (or kids') birthday(s)!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
On Gaming, Cell Phones & Other Gadgets
Are my kids technologically disadvantaged? I ask this in all sincerity. If you've ever seen Liam play Wii Mario Kart, you would know what I mean. He was recently playing while doing somersaults on the couch. He didn't do too well on Rainbow Road. It's really not his fault. We didn't even get a Wii until last Christmas (age almost-4) and the Mario Kart didn't come until a few months later. So he's had very little training. Over the summer Bill uploaded a few classic games onto the Wii including Super Mario Brothers. Why is it that Liam continues to try to run over the ditch? I say "the ditch" because he hasn't gotten past the first one independently. My 4 year old nephew came over and it turns out he plays Mario Kart with more skill than me (I should preface this by saying I'm not that good). Don't get me started on Joshua. We haven't even started his gaming training. But then again, he's just learning how to hold a marker.
Why is this even a big deal? Because I'm concerned about my boys' futures. It seems ever more apparent that this world around us is being built up around gadgets and technology. When I was in college, trying to keep up a long distance relationship, we still used email with a black backscreen and green letters. I can only imagine how terrific texting would have been. And now elementary schoolers have their own cell phones (for the record, I've yet to see one in the classroom... or hear one ringing in a backpack for that matter). In a world where ten year olds know how to text, you've got to start wondering with your preschooler if it's time to step it up a bit. I mean, doesn't he need to practice dexterity on a small keyboard... or maybe that's even out of date... so maybe we should just skip the keyboard and go right to touchscreen.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not currently standing in line at Radio Shack to purchase my kid an I-Pod. Although I did look into the Crayola MP3 player for Christmas... until I realized he doesn't know how to read yet so how could he choose songs? I'm okay with taking baby steps into the world of technology. We don't have a V-Tech or a V-Smile (although he does have a Smart Cycle). And I'm not into all of those learning video games. Let me explain that from a teaching perspective... I see Liam playing educational games. The Smart Cycle says to bump into the letters A, B & C. Liam drives the cycle furiously with no regard for letters, kicking off incorrect letter after incorrect letter until he gets the right one... and then he's off in search of D, E & F. He plays the games on Sesame Street (at pbskids.org) and could care less whether he gets an answer right or wrong. In fact, sometimes he prefers the negative buzzer more than the positive bell ringing. He's got a Leapster and I've seen him pressing his share of random buttons. So am I turning my kid into a random button pusher? My point is, that whether he's playing with the Leapster or Leappad, they don't give the type of feedback that real teaching can; and because of that, they just can't teach a kid to read or write on their own.
What will the world be like in five years when Liam turns 9? Will fourth graders be bringing their cell phones to school? Hmmm... I don't think things actually move that fast. But I certainly don't want Liam to be that tenth grader whose parents won't buy him the texting plan- or who has to use a pay phone to call his parents to get picked up from school. But on the other hand, I probably won't be the parent who stands in line at the cell phone store at midnight to get him the newest smart phone model. No, he'll have to make do with our left over flip phones (just kidding, we haven't bought a flip phone in years). And maybe I'll get him to train intensely on just one or two videogames so he's a pro. I know too many kids who have all of the gaming systems- X-Box, PS2, Wii and Kinect (okay, I"m probably totally wrong here, there's probably a few more significant systems) AND a DS! On a side note- doesn't anyone think that's all a major racket- buying all new systems and games every time the next best thing comes out? I still have my Game Boy. Maybe I'll teach Liam and Joshua how to play Tetris so they can wow all of their friends with their powers of strategic thinking... Hmmm... Or maybe they'd be better off if we just stuck with Mario Kart. There's only so many times you can slide your scooter from the ice flow into the frigid arctic waters before your friends start to only invite you over so they can make fun of you and inflate their egos.
Why is this even a big deal? Because I'm concerned about my boys' futures. It seems ever more apparent that this world around us is being built up around gadgets and technology. When I was in college, trying to keep up a long distance relationship, we still used email with a black backscreen and green letters. I can only imagine how terrific texting would have been. And now elementary schoolers have their own cell phones (for the record, I've yet to see one in the classroom... or hear one ringing in a backpack for that matter). In a world where ten year olds know how to text, you've got to start wondering with your preschooler if it's time to step it up a bit. I mean, doesn't he need to practice dexterity on a small keyboard... or maybe that's even out of date... so maybe we should just skip the keyboard and go right to touchscreen.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not currently standing in line at Radio Shack to purchase my kid an I-Pod. Although I did look into the Crayola MP3 player for Christmas... until I realized he doesn't know how to read yet so how could he choose songs? I'm okay with taking baby steps into the world of technology. We don't have a V-Tech or a V-Smile (although he does have a Smart Cycle). And I'm not into all of those learning video games. Let me explain that from a teaching perspective... I see Liam playing educational games. The Smart Cycle says to bump into the letters A, B & C. Liam drives the cycle furiously with no regard for letters, kicking off incorrect letter after incorrect letter until he gets the right one... and then he's off in search of D, E & F. He plays the games on Sesame Street (at pbskids.org) and could care less whether he gets an answer right or wrong. In fact, sometimes he prefers the negative buzzer more than the positive bell ringing. He's got a Leapster and I've seen him pressing his share of random buttons. So am I turning my kid into a random button pusher? My point is, that whether he's playing with the Leapster or Leappad, they don't give the type of feedback that real teaching can; and because of that, they just can't teach a kid to read or write on their own.
What will the world be like in five years when Liam turns 9? Will fourth graders be bringing their cell phones to school? Hmmm... I don't think things actually move that fast. But I certainly don't want Liam to be that tenth grader whose parents won't buy him the texting plan- or who has to use a pay phone to call his parents to get picked up from school. But on the other hand, I probably won't be the parent who stands in line at the cell phone store at midnight to get him the newest smart phone model. No, he'll have to make do with our left over flip phones (just kidding, we haven't bought a flip phone in years). And maybe I'll get him to train intensely on just one or two videogames so he's a pro. I know too many kids who have all of the gaming systems- X-Box, PS2, Wii and Kinect (okay, I"m probably totally wrong here, there's probably a few more significant systems) AND a DS! On a side note- doesn't anyone think that's all a major racket- buying all new systems and games every time the next best thing comes out? I still have my Game Boy. Maybe I'll teach Liam and Joshua how to play Tetris so they can wow all of their friends with their powers of strategic thinking... Hmmm... Or maybe they'd be better off if we just stuck with Mario Kart. There's only so many times you can slide your scooter from the ice flow into the frigid arctic waters before your friends start to only invite you over so they can make fun of you and inflate their egos.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Party Favors
Bouncy bounce, science museum, children's museum, skating rink, swimming pool and bowling alley- it's been a year of birthday parties. On a side note, I personally think the bouncy bounce was the most fun... for me. There's nothing quite so silly as a bunch of friends jumping around a bounce house... and occasionally letting their children bounce around too. On the other side of the spectrum... was the swimming pool. A birthday party for a kid turning 4 at a swimming pool? Huh? And this was at a swimming pool with no real shallow end! Not that I actually know this; Bill took Liam to that one. Apparently Liam was wearing a swim vest so was feeling so bold as the hang out in the very deep end, where Bill couldn't touch either so he had to paddle around after Liam for 45 minutes. Maybe Bill should have worn a swim vest too... Although this might not be Bill's least favorite considering he's had to sit through the same silly movie about the Kabooby Ruby (really, I did not make that up) at the local planetarium twice since September.
But seriously, the birthday parties are endless now that Liam has joined a preschool cohort. There are birthday parties every weekend almost, between his classmates, our friends & family. This weekend I asked Liam to please choose since he was invited to two birthdays- a bowling alley on Saturday and a skating rink today (Sunday). He opted for the skating. There are so many birthday parties that instead of having playdates among friends at his preschool, we've all just planned on meeting up at the next party.
On a positive note, it's just nothing but celebration after celebration... with a slew of screaming 3-5 year olds. Birthday parties have been following a certain formula recently. It seems we all meet up at a fabulous location and then hang out fairly independently of Liam's peers (i.e. skating with Mommy at the rink or bouncing from exhibit to exhibit shouting, "LOOK AT THE FISH! LOOK AT THE OWL! LISTEN TO ME RING THIS OBNOXIOUS BELL!", etc...). After this, the mass of children sits down and eats pizza, some small pieces of fruit and pretzels. Then there's the cake. And then the children go crazy. It's usually in a small room, clearly not meant for running, and yet this does not stop the children. They run in circles around the tables as though it was a planned activity. They run until one parent actually stops their child loudly and then the other parents are guilted into telling their children to stop running around like maniacs. And then everyone grabs a goodie bag and goes home.
Celebrations aside, this whole birthday party thing has me a little concerned. Liam & Joshua have birthdays coming up in March. So far our birthday parties have followed a certain formula... parents chatting upstairs, mass hysteria downstairs with minimal supervision, craft activity, possible game, cheap pizza and cake with store-bought ice cream. We enjoy some intimate traditions, like writing birthday notes to my kids on the same tablecloth each year and a cake I make following the given theme. And all of this is made possible by having the party at our own house. Aren't we enough bells and whistles? But this year I'm feeling like somethings may have to change. I doubt our current house could accommodate 20 more kids and their parents. And I doubt it would be enough anyway! So do we have two parties- one for family & friends and the other for classmates? Or do we have one big bash for everyone? And if so, where? It's been a few tough acts to follow one right after the other. But really, that's not what I'm as worried about. Maybe we'll go to the fire station and hire a magician... or better yet, rent the JCC gym so the kids running around like maniacs will be a planned activity. No, my biggest concern is the presents. See, we've been heading out the to store for each of these parties- for classmates, friends & family- buying this and that for all of these boys and girls. So what I'm really concerned about is this... they're all just about ready to return the favor. So then how many Etch-a-Sketches, Hungry Hungry Hippos and Mr. Potato Heads will we end up with?
But seriously, the birthday parties are endless now that Liam has joined a preschool cohort. There are birthday parties every weekend almost, between his classmates, our friends & family. This weekend I asked Liam to please choose since he was invited to two birthdays- a bowling alley on Saturday and a skating rink today (Sunday). He opted for the skating. There are so many birthday parties that instead of having playdates among friends at his preschool, we've all just planned on meeting up at the next party.
On a positive note, it's just nothing but celebration after celebration... with a slew of screaming 3-5 year olds. Birthday parties have been following a certain formula recently. It seems we all meet up at a fabulous location and then hang out fairly independently of Liam's peers (i.e. skating with Mommy at the rink or bouncing from exhibit to exhibit shouting, "LOOK AT THE FISH! LOOK AT THE OWL! LISTEN TO ME RING THIS OBNOXIOUS BELL!", etc...). After this, the mass of children sits down and eats pizza, some small pieces of fruit and pretzels. Then there's the cake. And then the children go crazy. It's usually in a small room, clearly not meant for running, and yet this does not stop the children. They run in circles around the tables as though it was a planned activity. They run until one parent actually stops their child loudly and then the other parents are guilted into telling their children to stop running around like maniacs. And then everyone grabs a goodie bag and goes home.
Celebrations aside, this whole birthday party thing has me a little concerned. Liam & Joshua have birthdays coming up in March. So far our birthday parties have followed a certain formula... parents chatting upstairs, mass hysteria downstairs with minimal supervision, craft activity, possible game, cheap pizza and cake with store-bought ice cream. We enjoy some intimate traditions, like writing birthday notes to my kids on the same tablecloth each year and a cake I make following the given theme. And all of this is made possible by having the party at our own house. Aren't we enough bells and whistles? But this year I'm feeling like somethings may have to change. I doubt our current house could accommodate 20 more kids and their parents. And I doubt it would be enough anyway! So do we have two parties- one for family & friends and the other for classmates? Or do we have one big bash for everyone? And if so, where? It's been a few tough acts to follow one right after the other. But really, that's not what I'm as worried about. Maybe we'll go to the fire station and hire a magician... or better yet, rent the JCC gym so the kids running around like maniacs will be a planned activity. No, my biggest concern is the presents. See, we've been heading out the to store for each of these parties- for classmates, friends & family- buying this and that for all of these boys and girls. So what I'm really concerned about is this... they're all just about ready to return the favor. So then how many Etch-a-Sketches, Hungry Hungry Hippos and Mr. Potato Heads will we end up with?
Monday, December 6, 2010
I'm All For Independence, But Does It Have To Be So Messy?
It's day 145 of our open cup training with Liam and so far we have had spills of juice on about 130 of those days. This is a battle I don't think we will win anytime soon. And yet it all started innocently when Liam started asking for juice in an open cup. And then we started to realize that he really is a big boy and soon will be in school... drinking out of a sippy? No, that just wouldn't do. It was time for Liam to become more independent. It was time for him to drink out of an open cup. Besides, Joshua was using the sippy cups so much by that point that we never had enough left in the cupboards. This is the price of independence... spilled juice.
What's truly hilarious about all of this spilled juice is its lack of effect on Liam. "Oh. I spilled my juice." And then he returns to eating his banana bread as juice pours over the side of the table, onto first his brother's legs, then the chair, seeping down to the floor. And Liam continues to eat his banana bread. He's ready to be independent enough to ask for the sippy cup but not to actually follow through with what is required of (a) drinking out of a cup without spilling or (b) dealing with repercussions of a great spill. I would love one day without spilled juice about as much as I would welcome a day without changing a diaper. Okay, that's ridiculous, of course I'd prefer a day without diapers!
Independence. It's what convinces Joshua to clamp down his teeth on top of his toothbrush so that there's no way I could possibly help him fight off cavities. It's what I wait for at the bottom of the stairs... when we're already all late for work & school... while Liam tries to zip up his coat. It's what we all yearn for but then can't stand when the time finally comes. Because independence takes time & patience- and I do tend to lack in both of these areas.
Having an independent child means you have to give up on being embarrassed. Just leave embarrassment at the front door. It's not a worthy emotion anymore. Because there is a strong likelihood that you will have to leave the house most days with a child whose clothing doesn't match. I know what can happen if a young boy grows up with no fashion sense. I once saw my father wear a plaid shirt with a polka dotted tie. Knowing this could be hereditary, Bill & I do tend to advise Liam when we can about his clothes. So when he came upstairs the other day wearing blue sweatpants, a green & gray striped long sleeved shirt and a short sleeved linen brown & blue bowling shirt; naturally Bill laughed and told him to take off at least two parts of the outfit and wear something else. Independent Liam had a hard time being convinced but eventually Bill found a matching brown shirt to wear under the bowling shirt with a pair of jeans. "Change the shirt or change the pants." Is usually one of the first things we say to Liam when we see him in the morning. Recently instead of saying that, I just told him to stand still so I could take a picture. He was wearing a red & gray striped long sleeved shirt under a blue and orange striped short sleeved shirt. It wasn't working. Ironically, Liam's fashion sense seems to be in fashion at his school. After a particularly fun morning of cajoling Liam out of sweatpants (those same pesky sweats), an oversized t-shirt and a nice but tighter fitting sweater; Bill entered the classroom only to see another boy wearing sweats, an oversized t-shirt covered by a too-tight sweater. Who knew? Liam tells us the top shirt is what everyone wears. To encourage his independence I decided to buy him those 2-in-1 shirts that are on sale at Old Navy.
Independence is inevitable. And young people need time to develop their own skills through independent practice. So maybe the concept of matching isn't quite sticking yet. And perhaps it's okay that I have to change Joshua's shirt after he eats breakfast each day (because you can't go to the sitter's wearing oatmeal no matter what type of fashion sense you have). Still, I kind of wish Liam & Josh would become more independent in some of these areas because I'm getting really sick of waiting... and waiting... or just doing it myself.
(1) Buckling seatbelts in the car.
(2) Tying shoes.
(3) Writing thank you cards.
(4) Folding laundry (correctly).
(5) Soaping their own hair in the tub.
(6) Remembering to close the door.
(7) Spitting into the sink after brushing teeth (not the side of the sink).
(8) Getting their own breakfast when they wake up before 8 am on a weekend.
(9) Changing his own diaper (Bonus: applying diaper cream)- this one is for Josh specifically.
(10) Cleaning up spilled juice.
What's truly hilarious about all of this spilled juice is its lack of effect on Liam. "Oh. I spilled my juice." And then he returns to eating his banana bread as juice pours over the side of the table, onto first his brother's legs, then the chair, seeping down to the floor. And Liam continues to eat his banana bread. He's ready to be independent enough to ask for the sippy cup but not to actually follow through with what is required of (a) drinking out of a cup without spilling or (b) dealing with repercussions of a great spill. I would love one day without spilled juice about as much as I would welcome a day without changing a diaper. Okay, that's ridiculous, of course I'd prefer a day without diapers!
Independence. It's what convinces Joshua to clamp down his teeth on top of his toothbrush so that there's no way I could possibly help him fight off cavities. It's what I wait for at the bottom of the stairs... when we're already all late for work & school... while Liam tries to zip up his coat. It's what we all yearn for but then can't stand when the time finally comes. Because independence takes time & patience- and I do tend to lack in both of these areas.
Having an independent child means you have to give up on being embarrassed. Just leave embarrassment at the front door. It's not a worthy emotion anymore. Because there is a strong likelihood that you will have to leave the house most days with a child whose clothing doesn't match. I know what can happen if a young boy grows up with no fashion sense. I once saw my father wear a plaid shirt with a polka dotted tie. Knowing this could be hereditary, Bill & I do tend to advise Liam when we can about his clothes. So when he came upstairs the other day wearing blue sweatpants, a green & gray striped long sleeved shirt and a short sleeved linen brown & blue bowling shirt; naturally Bill laughed and told him to take off at least two parts of the outfit and wear something else. Independent Liam had a hard time being convinced but eventually Bill found a matching brown shirt to wear under the bowling shirt with a pair of jeans. "Change the shirt or change the pants." Is usually one of the first things we say to Liam when we see him in the morning. Recently instead of saying that, I just told him to stand still so I could take a picture. He was wearing a red & gray striped long sleeved shirt under a blue and orange striped short sleeved shirt. It wasn't working. Ironically, Liam's fashion sense seems to be in fashion at his school. After a particularly fun morning of cajoling Liam out of sweatpants (those same pesky sweats), an oversized t-shirt and a nice but tighter fitting sweater; Bill entered the classroom only to see another boy wearing sweats, an oversized t-shirt covered by a too-tight sweater. Who knew? Liam tells us the top shirt is what everyone wears. To encourage his independence I decided to buy him those 2-in-1 shirts that are on sale at Old Navy.
Independence is inevitable. And young people need time to develop their own skills through independent practice. So maybe the concept of matching isn't quite sticking yet. And perhaps it's okay that I have to change Joshua's shirt after he eats breakfast each day (because you can't go to the sitter's wearing oatmeal no matter what type of fashion sense you have). Still, I kind of wish Liam & Josh would become more independent in some of these areas because I'm getting really sick of waiting... and waiting... or just doing it myself.
(1) Buckling seatbelts in the car.
(2) Tying shoes.
(3) Writing thank you cards.
(4) Folding laundry (correctly).
(5) Soaping their own hair in the tub.
(6) Remembering to close the door.
(7) Spitting into the sink after brushing teeth (not the side of the sink).
(8) Getting their own breakfast when they wake up before 8 am on a weekend.
(9) Changing his own diaper (Bonus: applying diaper cream)- this one is for Josh specifically.
(10) Cleaning up spilled juice.
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