A follow-up!!!

I am so grateful to an old friend who has called my attention to the sweeping generalization I made re: the iPotty and the Apptivity Center. While I still do believe that ensconcing most children in technology before they are even in school inhibits many kinds of development -cognitive, physical and otherwise- I am gratefully humbled by my friend's reminder that for some children, like her daughter with autism, such technology is invaluable. In  her words: "My daughter has autism. She was first diagnosed when she was 2. She is now 8. She also has numerous other delays, including speech delays and a sensory processing disorder, as well as severe ADHD. Also, she does not play with toys and has not (until very recently) ever engaged in "imaginative" play (baby dolls, cars, etc). The only 2 things that have ever held her interest for more than 5 minutes are her 4 wheeler and her ipad. Obviously, it's not possible for her to ride her 4 wheeler around in our house, so the ipad wins. Before she had the ipad, she had every single Leap Frog electronic toy/tablet/etc and 2 Kindle Fires. These electronics have taught her things that her teachers and we, her parents, have not been able to. Specifically regarding speech. Because every time the apps on her ipad say a word, it sounds exactly the same. She can repeat the words over and over until she masters a word, then move on. Also helps with "social stories" - learning to properly interact with people and the world around her. That said, I can certainly see how some of these products would be beneficial. Yes, even babies. Early intervention is very important. We knew something was different about our daughter before she was even a year old. And she wasn't completely potty trained until she was 3 1/2. So, yes, even the potty chair would have been awesome, since part of the reason she wasn't able to potty train successfully was the ADHD, and also autism which causes notorious potty training difficulties! It sometimes took her 30 minutes to "go". And for kids like my daughter, that is a loooong time to sit still. Just my 2 cents!"

Beautifully written and very valuable. Sending thanks to S and to open lines of communication from which we can learn and connect more deeply!

Even worse than the iPotty...

In response to last night's diatribe against the iPotty, friend A sent me a link to this: the Fisher-Price "Apptivity Center." My response: Fisher-Price, you should be so unbelievably ashamed that you wish you could curl up and perish. As if the iPotty isn't awful enough, F-P turns even younger youths into brain-numbed zombies with this "apptivity center." I truly believe that this is a terrible, terrible product. Kids who can't even walk learn to sit still and be entertained by stuff that's NOT EVEN REAL. Way to encourage brain development and fitness via exploration of surroundings, F-P. Not! This is technology at its worst. Frankly, use of this doesn't make for quality parenting, in my opinion, either. Pediatricians recommend that kids don't even watch TV before the age of 2!!

Here's what I think

No-nonsense Dawg here... 1) People need to Get.A.Grip. about the weather. Literally and figuratively (in warmer climes), get a grip. If you have a home, which the people watching the hyperbolic weatherpeople likely do, one day of 3[deg] is not a naked death sentence in the Arctic. Is it cold? Yes it is. But good lord. Fairfax County canceled school today because of cold. COLD! I would like to thank the boys' school for not cancelling school. Keeping recess indoors is definitely reasonable on such a cold day, but to not have school?? What the hell? Get a grip and be thankful you have shelter. Otherwise, go help someone who doesn't. And whatever you do, please don't go all Donald Trump and mock the people who believe in climate change: "global warming?! Hah! What idiots! Who can believe in climate change when it's this cold?" I do admit to being glad I no longer live in Chicago; with all respect Chicagoan pals.

2) I cannot abide by fruit in concert with chocolate, especially raspberry-chocolate anything. Gadzooks! Too sweet; cloying; ick; way to downgrade both the chocolate and the fruit. It's like coconut in granola. Egads!!!

3) I made the ugliest dinner ever on the books, in the world, tonight, and frankly, it wasn't that good either. Cubed eggplant turned into baba ganoush turned into puree turned into burgers with dissonant seasonings turned into some weird frittata atop pita and arugula. If you were blindfolded and fed, it's possible you would think this was average, but to be served and then have to deal with it?? Yikes! Pass.the.wine! And know when to call in a pizza.

4) Who's heard of the iPotty? This is such an abomination of a product. Way to link bathroom time to complete ignorance of your body and its functions. Way to turn all small beings into men whose "constitutionals" are nothing more than ludicrous excuses to read multiple chapters of anything. Do I think I'd kill for a babysitter sometimes? Yes. In those times of need would I instead sit my kids on this? Hell no.