Mother May I....NO you may not!!!

Last night while watching the news I saw a report that I just couldn't believe. Scientific studies now show Baby Einstein to be bad for babies. With the report came news that Disney the maker of Baby Einstein products is now offering refunds. They also interviewed some poor mom who now has to make the decision on whether or not to let her baby watch the Baby Einstein movies. I found the report to be interesting, so much so that I had actually stayed up to watch it. However I didn't think much about it. It was like, yes, to much TV is bad, but common people, don't we carry everything to far. Little did I know.

This morning while talking to a friend of mine, she was telling me about the same thing. She had seen a report, and it got her so worked up, that she in turn researched it out, and actually wrote about it on her blog. The story that she wrote, made me curious as well. So I did some digging myself. And what I found actually scares me.

Now let me just stop here in my story and say my children watch TV. They watch shows. Most have some sort of educational value to them. They reinforce things that they are already learning from me. Some of the TV that they watch does not have educational value, for example the Finding Nemo movie we rented last week. That was purely for entertainment. My four year old and my 16 month old will play computer games together. In these games they learn about different colors and concepts such as groupings and addition. I do not however set my children in front of the TV for hours at the time, just so that I don't have to provide entertainment or because I have something else to do. And I do not rely on someone or something else to teach my child the things that they need to know. THAT is MY choice. I have the choice. For now.

That is what has made me so mad. In this country we seem to be loosing more and more of our choices, not only as parents, but as citizens in general. What the H E double hockey sticks happened? I mean, wasn't this country founded on freedom?

I learned today about the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC.) And I couldn't believe what I found. Not only do I not agree with many of their claims, I find many of their ideas to be quite ridiculous. For example by putting the Harley Davidson brand on a bib, you are subconscious making them into die hard fans. You really need to read some of the information that they are putting out there.

To be fair its not so much their concepts that I disagree with. It is what they think causes them. America does not over eat because adds for fatty food on TV. We over eat because we have no control. The ads are there because we over eat, not the other way around. The thing that upsets me the most is that is not that all of their concepts are bad. I don't want my children watching things that are bad for them. But it is my choice. Just because I let my children watch Elmo does not make me a bad parent. I am the parent, not them. The more we let our freedoms and choices be taken away, the less control we have over our own lives. Soon they will be telling us that it isn't educational enough for children to be home schooled. I don't want to have to live with a "Mother may I" mentality, always having to ask permission to raise my children the way I see fit.

Our BIG adventure

So yesterday I had a wic appointment, but since it was raining Bennett had to take the car to work. No motorcycle. *FROWN* I started to just call and cancel the appointment. Like I had done all the other times. But I didn't. Nope, I choose a road less traveled. We walked. Now let me just say, that it had stopped raining, and was really a nice fall day. The temperature was about 58 degrees, and it was nice and crisp outside. Our wic office is here in town, and is only about a mile and a half from our house. So we got dressed warmly, packed our lunch in our new lunch bags (25 cents each at walmart on clearance!) And we set off. I love my Phil & Teds stroller, Alyssa up front, Makayla behind, and Samara strapped to my chest in my Ergo (also one of the things that I couldn't do without.) Alyssa has been watching Dora, so I made a crude map of where we where going, and a couple of things that we would pass. As we walked we talked about the seasons in the year, and what makes leaves turn colors and fall to the ground. We talked about looking both ways when we cross a street. What the Don't Walk/Walk signs mean. It was a great day. Plus I got some good exercise. Samara slept just about the whole time, minus when we where actually at the WIC appointment. The wind had picked up a little on the way home, but I had put a couple of small blankets in the stroller, and that kept the kids warm. Samara fit snugly in my jacket with me. Perfect. We picked up several leaves and a pine cone to remember our trip with. Later today I plan on helping Alyssa glue them to a paper, and we will hang it on our classroom walls. The walk was a great reminder that not all schooling needs to take place in the classroom. There is a wealth of learning outside four walls.

When we where almost home, I got to thinking about what people did before cars. I have really been wanting a second car. I hate feeling left at home without one, even when I am not planning on going anywhere. But yesterday was a little liberating for me. I am not without a mode of transportation. My feet work just fine. I have been blessed with the means to get up and move. And thankfully we live in town. With in just two miles of our house, is all sorts of things that I can take advantage of. And it was really a fun treat for the girls. Alyssa was asking if we could go on anther walk after nap time. :) Now it won't always been nice enough weather to get out and walk, but it will be sometimes, and I plan on taking advantage of it.

and then there where three....

So having three young children is a challenge. I know, duh, I should have seen that coming right. But oh my gosh! I feel swamped. Everyday is a challenge. A challenge to get up and out of bed. (Do the math, 3 children x 1 time waking up = 3 times getting up in the night and this is on a good night.) A challenge to get breakfast, a challenge to get everyone dressed, diapered, fed, happy, napped, dinner cooked.... The list just goes on and on. And that doesn't even count for things that I need. Can I say shower?

Makayla is having a hard time. She loves Samara to death, and really enjoys "helping" taking care of her. But at the same time, when Samara gets in her spot, well the world comes to an end. It is like she tries to kiss and move her out of the way all at once. It's kind of cute, except at 3 am when I haven't had any sleep yet.

Well, dinner is done, and my time is up. :(