PRINCESS Ella was a little slower than most at learning to do the physical things – rolling, crawling and walking. However, when it came to communication, she was king (or is that, queen).
Now, at three, logically she’s quickly becoming comfortable with one of our prime communication tools, the phone. Often we see her walking around the house, pretend mobile phone wedged between her chin and shoulder, jabbering away with lines like: “I know, it’s terrible isn’t it? She’ll just have to learn’’. Hmmm, where did she get that from?
Her latest golden quote though came when she was asked to pick up her toys. Her response: “I can’t Mum. I’m busy texting Nan’’. It took all my effort not to laugh!
So, what line has your little one delivered that’s caused you to bite your tongue this week?
EACH Sunday morning I trek over to fellow Taswegian Kim’s site FrogPondsRock to view her Sunday Selections and all those bloggers associated with the meme. The idea is to post photos that otherwise would stay buried on your laptop, never to be seen.
Last weekend Princess Ella and I took advantage of one of the final beautiful days left of summer and had a picnic outside. After ditching the toasted sandwich for strawberries, sultanas and a chocolate treat, we had a closer look at the lemon tree to see what we could discover. This is what we found… Bugs, Bees and Butterfl …ah, Moths.
After you’ve had a look, leave a comment, then head on over to the meme and look through some of the other Sunday Selections.
Next week I might share some of Ella’s photos from her Dora the Explorer camera. Or not!…
This is a bee that obliged to have its photo taken….
It allowed us to get closer…
And closer…
This is a ladybird that unfortunately flew away very quickly, thanks to a little person getting a little too vocal…
This is a moth that turned its head and smiled at us.
Baby Holly popped out into the world five months ago, the first thing she saw was the flashing of a camera courtesy of the midwife. They’re not photos I’m keen to share, by the way. In fact, they’re not photos I particularly wanted taken. But, despite not having the stomach to look at them, I also don’t have the heart to destroy them.
My point is, technology is everywhere, so it’s hard to shield our li’l ones from it. However, I believe there’s a limit on when and how much. While we were unsuccessful in not allowing Ella TV before age two, the rule has been strictly adhered to for technology.
Every child and every family will be different. Now at three, Princess Ella has already been exposed to her nan’s iPhone and played games and watched clips on the ABC website (she knows the web address by heart, thanks to Giggle and Hoot). But it’s been in moderation and with mum and dad assisting.
Before they’re bamboozled with iPads and iPhones, I want our girls to learn to write their name on a piece of paper with that wooden thing called a pencil. Let’s paint a picture with “real’’ paint, not some computerised paint program that has a pop-up telling you Dora is your friend. Make music using instruments – yes, a saucepan is so an instrument. And let’s look at nature actually in the outdoors (view our post tomorrow as part of Sunday Selections).
Technology can be fun and educational, but there’s nothing quite like the real thing. My goal for my two girls is simply to aim for some balance. And somehow manage to keep Holly away from it until she turns two – but I know the chances of that are as likely as Bill Gates going broke. Then, the fun really begins. Just ask Shelly from Tropical Mum.
HE SAID:
THERE is only a small number of minor issues with exposing your child to technology at a young age. One such issue became obvious when I showed Princess Ella a butterfly just resting on the screen door yesterday afternoon. The butterfly, obviously knackered by a full day of doing whatever the heck it is butterflies do, was enjoying a lovely rest and was not moving an inch. Ella looked at it closely, looked at me and look at it again. She then looked up at me and in the most innocent tones asked: “Has it run out of batteries?”
A tentative grasp on reality aside, there should be little fear when introducing your child to the wonders of modern technology. God knows, this generation of kids is going to grow up in a world dominated by it.
It’s interesting to see my good wife try and argue otherwise as we both sit here with a laptop each on our laps, connected to our wireless broadband network and iPhone within easy reach. Seriously, the sooner kids learn to deal with technology the better prepared they will be to deal with life in the 21st century.
Just cast your mind back 10 years. A decade ago, when our marriage was in its infancy, we had dial up internet, which would drop out more than it would connect, a desktop computer which took up a whole desktop and a mobile phone which did nothing but make phone calls and send text messages (how did we cope!).
Well in 2021, imagine the world Princess Ella will be living in as a 13-year-old. My guess is she won’t attend school as kids will attend virtual classrooms, she’ll have an iPad the size of a Golden Book and will be capable of texting at a rate of 233 words per second. So, why fight it?
My only hope is, that by the time Ella is actually a teenager, there’s an iPhone app I can download which gives me the names and addresses of any boy who dares look twice at her.
**We’re keen to hear your opinion, but ask you please be respectful of others’ opinions. Heck, listen to us for starters!
And while you’re here, vote in our poll – that’s the thing at the side there.
You can stay briefly to read his post on yet another lesson for wives, then join me at Seven Cherubs where I’m guest posting today as part of Naomi’s MotherHeart series.
Naomi is one of my new mummy blogger friends and a great inspiration to me. As the title of her blog suggests, she’s mum to, yes, seven little cherubs. When I have a tough day dealing with two li’l princesses, I draw strength from this incredible woman – who always finds joy in every day.
Be kind and leave a warm, fuzzy comment. It really does make our day.
Credit: Dale Cumming Photography
TODAY I’m leaving you in Julian’s capable hands. I’m going out.
AN AUSTRALIAN study, widely publicised earlier this year, concluded there was “no such thing as baby brain”. Professor Helen Christensen, from the Australian National University, probably spent hours, days and months researching a report to show that there were no signs of motherhood impeding a woman’s cognitive function.
Well Prof. Christensen, I’ve got plenty of aneacdotal evidence compiled over the course of my wife’s two pregnancies and this week I gathered proof that baby brain may well affect women long after the birth.
You see my wife, Princess Kel, has not worked for some months. A journalist by profession, she went on leave well before the birth of our little one, Princess Holly, last October and has not been near the office since. Yet, after having cause to ring her at home on a Monday afternoon this week, Kel answered our home phone with the words “Good afternoon, editorial, Kellie speaking’’.
What followed was a couple of stunned seconds of silence from me and then fits of laughter from both of us after we realised what she’d done. No further proof needed. Baby brain exists
Princess Ella devouring her strawberries from “Santa''.
WEDNESDAY mornings are like Christmas in our house – minus chocolate for brekkie. The neighbours can hear Princess Ella’s squeals as the gift bearer arrives at the door. She then proceeds to explain how she’s got pink underpants on and “look, I’ve got strong muscles. See?’’ Vital information. After they leave, we excitedly unpack the parcels to see what they’ve left.
Of course, I already know what they’ve left. Yes, the Coles lady is like Santa Claus in our house.
With a five-month-old breastfed baby, heading to a supermarket with the worry I might have to back myself into the deli section to feed mid shop terrifies me. Add to that a preschooler who’s tempted by anything in a shiny wrapper and I fear the place more than the dentist (I’ve already had six teeth pulled in my lifetime).
So, when I discovered online grocery shopping I thought all my Christmases had come at once – and so did the three year old. Now, instead of screaming for the chocolates at the grocery counter, she’s squealing “look Mum, strawberries’’ in our kitchen.
Mind you, when I describe the Coles lady as being like Santa, I really do mean it. No, she’s doesn’t have a beard – that I’ve noticed, anyway. She’s like Saint Nic, because most weeks she brings us free samples. Granted, last week we were left disappointed because all we received was a small bottle of deodorant.
Ungrateful li’l…., you say. Well, it’s hard to take when the week prior we received:
Two packets of mini Milky Ways
Two packets of Cadburys assorted mini chocolates
Two gossip magazines
A box of Robert Timms coffee bags
Another mini deodorant
Vitamin water
A large bottle of spring water
A large V8 juice
Two big packets of Dorritos
All free! Clever marketing, I say. Although, I started to wonder if maybe the Coles lady had left behind someone else’s shopping. In fact, I didn’t touch any of it (despite Ella’s pleading) until the next day in fear she’d return and want them back.
Every time I heard a vehicle outside, I’d get Ella to check if it was the Coles lady. Of course, she obliged because, well, a second visit from Santa in one day would have made her the happiest girl in the world.
So, my answer to surviving grocery shopping with kids? Stay at home! The kids will love you for it.
Yum!
What are your tips for surviving shopping with the kids? Have you embraced online grocery shopping yet?
