Technology Parenting

September, 1972- Richard Nixon was in office, the first episode of The Price is Right was hosted by Bob Barker and the Vietnam war was in full swing. My mother was in the hospital, and had been for some time, recovering from injuries she sustained in a car accident. She's got a baby on the way, no nursery-outfitted to the nines, no "Babies R'us", no big deal. Thats just how she "rolled". Times were much simpler, right? But were they just her version of simple? Flash forward to 2004, when we had our twins. Similar story, but my mandatory "incarceration" in the hospital on bedrest was to "cook" my twins a little longer and was very unexpected. I had the ability to get online wirelessly in my hospital room (Thank you Memorial Herman!) and have delivered a littany of baby products ranging from wireless baby monitors, Baby Einstein videos that were "statistically proven to make them smarter!", vibrating bouncy chairs, bottles, binkies, blankies, all backed up by customer reviews and forums with thousands of comments from parents who had recently purchased the same products.

What a difference 32 years makes! Being a mom in 2010 vs. 1970's (from an information perspective) is the difference between drinking from a water fountain vs. a fire hose! The pressure to navigate the gauntlet of technical parenthood and make the right decisions is just one product review away from failure! Its amazing that my brother and I made it though our childhood without my parents ability to share socially with countless, faceless, consumers who had an opinion about what they were about to buy.

Its not easier to be inundated with information- its just more to wade through and think about. Thoughts?

The privacy of strangers

We've fared well through the storm- now its back to business. I cant help but take a few moments though to mention a post by a complete stranger about my neighborhood and our home. I'd like to set the record straight that we left town FOR A WEEK on Saturday, had no electricity through the week we were gone. We returned home and had to deal with the sad loss of one of our beloved family pets, the loss of most of our trees and our fences. All of this coupled with the fact that my 4 year old twins had no available childcare other than moi and my precious husband worked from a Chic-fillet for the week we were gone! (Thank God for wi-fi, electricity and a playground which allowed me to work a little as well!) All of this made for a tough week! (I've edited this post to speak to the sincerity of a reply I got from my earlier rant on Houstonist.) I appreciate your writing me back. I appreciate your explanation. Stepping down now (off my soap box, that is!)