Computers and Toddlers

We got our first computer when I was young, in elementary I believe. I remember it being all pixels and about three colors. I hardly even remember what we used it for really. I didn't care too much about it, the outdoors was far more fun to my friends and myself.

When I was 10 my close friend got a little bit nicer computer which had AOL 2.0 on it. Wow, what technology that was, ha ha! I remember the three of us getting together in the AOL chat rooms and pretending to be older more mature women by stating we were 12/f instead of the 10/f that we were.

Anyway, time went on and of course we kept getting nicer and nicer computers as all the programs on them became better and much easier to use. Now, I cannot live without my computer for more than a day. I am obsessed with the knowledge I can retrieve from the Internet, the ability to communicate with everyone in an instant, shopping from home, and playing an endless amount of games. I also enjoy writing without the hand cramping. But a small note... those AOL chat rooms are nothing like they used to be. Now all you get is a bunch of loner perverts trying to cyber sex. Not my cup of tea.

The thing about technology is that each generation grows more and more comfortable with it. My siblings and most of all my son, have no idea what it is like to NOT have a computer. It seems like the ability to work and understand a computer arises in kids younger and younger each year. My son is not even 2 years old yet and he can draw pictures on Noggin.com. He mostly enjoys sitting there and watching full length episodes of his favorite shows, yet he amazed me the other day by proving he could also work the mouse to draw a picture. As much as I love technology and electronics, I also feel it is extremely important to get outdoors and get away from electronics to enjoy nature. I see now that it will be a task with all the fun technologies available in this age which aim to keep you locked up in the house. And to think my mom used to have to worry about getting me in the house at night after a full day of playing outside when I was a child. Every generation has their struggles.


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Exploration Disaster

For some reason when I announced to my son that we were heading off to our local farmer's market, he though it would be a good idea to crawl into the bottom of the stroller. Then he got stuck. As I sat there cracking up at the dilemma he had gotten himself into, and taking pictures as well, he moved his arm a little and found out that he was no longer stuck and crawled out.

Luckily, he stopped crying immediately and got excited once more that we were headed to farmer's market for some yummy oranges and berries!

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Unsafe Sanity Time

Sometimes a mother just needs a break from her whining, teething, toddler. I'm extremely patient with my son, I hardly ever yell at him and I never flip out on him. In comparison to my own childhood I feel I am doing so wonderful. Even in comparison to many other parents in my life these days.

Anyway, when I was doing laundry the other day I was getting on my nerves edge because he had been agitated for a few hours and I just couldn't think of anything else to do with him that might cheer him up and take away his pain.

Finally, after taking the laundry out of the dryer I asked him if he wanted to get in. Sure enough he did and he spent the next 30 minutes entertaining himself inside that metal drum. I don't know why it kept him so amused, but I don't need to know. It worked, my nerves calmed down, and he was pretty happy for the rest of the day. He even liked being in there with the door closed and kept trying to close it himself. Yeah yeah, the comments might roll in about how dangerous that was. What I say to that is "Say what you want" It doesn't bother me. I know very well that I would NEVER let harm come to my son and I also NEVER let him do anything without being in a split second distance so I can rescue him if something should go wrong. I give him freedom to be himself, but I guard him with my life, like a wolf mother or something. And his behavior and disposition will prove I keep it balanced. Besides, we have an old dryer... it's not like the new ones that lock on both sides when you close them.


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