You know when you grab your phone to scroll through Facebook while eating the last few bites of your child’s cheese string, and somehow the selfie camera is activated, and you’re like “who is this tired beast who has given up on herself?” We know the feeling too.
I am such a tech lover. It makes me more productive, allows me to have more time for family, and can solve every day frustrations. This is why, from the moment I heard about smart home technology, I embraced every new item I could. Unable to whip out and upgrade my kitchen appliances, I started small with fun and manageable options.
Even as a little guy, my son had a knack for solving puzzles. At his daycare they called him ‘Baby Houdini’, because he quickly learned how to open various locks on the gates and doors between areas. If he sees us enter a passcode even once on a device or during an electronic purchase, we have to change it immediately, because he will never forget the one he just learned. Like many boys his age, he is prone to being loud and clumsy, but he’s also stunningly stealthy when he goes into “ninja-mode.” It’s like he was born to be a spy.
As progressive as I think I am…. some traditions have become the norm, and I have never even questioned whether or not there are other ways to do things. Making macaroni and cheese, for instance (not from scratch).. I have done it the exact same way for years – butter first and then milk. Painting my nails – left before right. Unloading the dishwasher – glasses and then cutlery. Old habits. Some may be the best way for me to tackle them, while in other cases, methods may have progressed over time, and I have simply not noticed.
I am not a very black and white person, and my parenting style reflects this. Sometimes I think it would be easier to guide with a bit more discipline and less flexibility, but I tend to parent with much more fluidity then rules and regulations. One area where this has been a challenge is in monitoring the use of technology for my children and learning what is appropriate and what is not.
We used to hit the road a lot as kids, and the soundtrack of these adventures were largely dictated by my parents. That’s how I came to have an appreciation for the oldies and even learned enough of the words to sing along. We had a big blue case of cassette tapes that would form the background noise of our big drives. My parents were big on exploring new places, but the music was usually the same.
When we watch Netflix, my kids are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. It makes you wonder, what would happen if they were in charge? Well, thanks to Netflix’s new interactive story telling for kids, you don’t have to wonder anymore. You can see for yourself! It’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, but on the big screen. How cool is that? One of the first stories you can try it on is Puss in Boots.
This is how it goes:
My workout clothes stunk. Literally. I’d soaked them, washed them multiple times on sanitize cycle, line dried them in the sun – even left them out in a storm hoping to get the stank out. Alas, nothing helped. It was time. I needed to shop for … dah dah duuuhhhhhhh. New clothes. I’m not a great shopper – I have the attention span of a toddler, the patience of a hungry infant, and a matching ability only slightly above that of my engineering husband (no offense, sweetheart). I’m pretty much about functionality, fit, and comfort. If it looks cute, that’s a bonus, but not a focus typically for me as I not only live in my workout clothing – I sweat – copious amounts – in my workout clothing.
Are you looking for something fun for the kids to do over summer so they can make some great memories and learn new things? Have you considered a tech camp? We did this summer and sent our son to LevelUp Minecraft Camp at BCIT. My son is a huge Minecraft fan so when he heard about the camp he desperately wanted to go.
No, he didn’t just sit in front of a computer all day (after all, he can do that at home!) – they had outside time for fresh air and healthy movement and they also did hands on STEM activities.
Sometimes I think about the girls, you know, before the babies arrived. All high and perky and stuff. But then I think about myself before the babies, and I can’t really relate to “life before babies” me anymore. Then I take a deep breath and accept that boobies after babies… they’re not so bad.
Despite the change in address (they’ve def moved a few blocks south) they’re still in a respectable neighbourhood. And really, considering what they went through, or what we went through together… I can’t really complain.