Day 55: Children and Electronics

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 55: Children and Electronics

A few days ago, I was on a bus in downtown Toronto when a woman with an enormous stroller came on board. I found this annoying, to say the least. Strollers take up a lot of space on a bus and are a danger to passengers. It’s bad enough that these strollers are allowed on a bus, but in my opinion, should be banned during peak hours. Bicycles are not allowed, so why strollers …

To further my annoyance, the toddler in the stroller was watching a video game on an iPhone. When a call came in the mother took the phone away from the toddler to answer it. The kid immediately started screaming and thrashing about.

I wasn’t the only one who sat and stared at this kid and his mother. He couldn't even walk or talk and already his entertainment came from a cell phone!

Then yesterday I noticed a picture on Facebook. A ten-year-old was holding a tablet, a three-year-old was busy with an iPhone, and dad was asleep next to a baby. There you have it readers, today’s modern family. 

Is this what today's parents are like? They don't buy toys for their kids anymore, they don't play with their children anymore, they shove an electronic device in their hands to keep them quiet.

If I find it annoying, the experts are of the opinion that cellphones at a young age can cause damage to these young bodies.

The rate of MWR absorption is higher in children than adults because their brain tissues are more absorbent, their skulls are thinner, and their relative size is smaller. Fetuses are particularly vulnerable because MWR exposure can lead to degeneration of the protective sheath that surrounds brain neurons, they report.

Multiple studies have shown that children absorb more MWR than adults. One found that that the brain tissue of children absorbed about two times more MWR than that of adults, and other studies have reported that the bone marrow of children absorbs 10 times more MWR than that of adults.

https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20140819/children-cell-phones#1

Another article talks about the damage cellphones have on children’s eyes. https://tinyurl.com/zeomtm2

Other than the possibility of causing harm I can only wonder how these kids will grow up. Experts all agree that regular toys benefit children in a number of ways. Take those toys away and what will happen? Will a lack of physical toys influence their motor skills? 

https://www.howtolearn.com/2013/10/developmental-benefits-of-toys-for-young-children/

Soft toys teach children sensitivity. Stuffed toys may develop a love for animals. Blocks can lead to a love for building things. Combing a doll's hair might produce a stylist or beautician. And as the child grows up, will he or she develop a love for books and in the process learn how to write with correct spelling and grammar? Will they have any kind of an imagination?

While most people enjoy playing computer games, how young is too young to play these games?

www.connymanero.weebly.com

Fun ideas for Father's Day

Ever since Sonora Smart Dodd came up with the idea of Father’s Day in 1909, children have celebrated their father in a variety of ways.  Store-bought or home-made cards are popular along with a gift that matches his hobbies or interests.  Too often, the best gift that fathers value the most is overlooked—spending time with their children.  If you want to do something special for your father this year, following are some fun ideas for Father’s Day.

Play some games

Whether you play tennis on the Wii®, bowling on Playstation® or prefer a good old fashion board game such as Monopoly® or Scrabble®, you’re bound to have fun.  If your dad is not familiar with any of these games, maybe it’s time to introduce him or let him introduce you to the games of his childhood.

Get out into the sunshine for a little one on one on the basketball or tennis court, or involve the rest of the family for a game of volley ball or badminton.  The fresh air will do the family good, and you may get to see a competitive side of your dad you’ve never seen before. 

In case it’s too windy or rainy on Father’s Day, go bowling instead.  If you’re both experienced bowlers, turn the game into a fun, mini competition.  If you’ve never played before, prepare to laugh yourself silly.

Alternatively, you can attend a ball game, visit the racetrack or some other sporting event.  Whether you’re watching relaxed in your seat, or you both spend half the time on your feet screaming, you’re bound to remember this special time together for years to come. 

Tackle chores together

You’d be surprised how much fun washing the car together can be.  Going to the car wash is quick and easy, but tackling the job together with dad in his driveway makes for great bonding time. Just be sure to approach the task “his way” without any arguments. After the washing and polishing is done, take your dad on a car trip for lunch or just for a scenic spin to his favorite spot.

Join him by the barbeque

If your dad is like many men, they enjoy cooking anything over a barbeque.  On Father’s Day, give him the day off from the chore, but do make sure he’s with you to offer his best tips and tricks.  While you wait for the meat to sizzle, talk to your dad about whatever comes to mind.  Fathers are full of knowledge and are usually eager to share their experiences with their children.

Go shopping with him

Even though some men hate shopping for clothes and household items, the mention of a trip to the hardware store may be enough for him to reach for his car keys.  Whether he’s crazy about power tools, automotive items or home improvement ideas, the prospect of spending time among his favorite “toys” is sure to put a big smile on his face.

Spend some quiet time

After a fun filled Father’s Day, finish off the day with some quiet time at home.  Let dad pick a television show or movie, pop a big bowl of popcorn and watch something together.  Even though the show may not be your cup of tea, remember how many times your dad was a good sport and sat through your suggestions.

It doesn’t matter how you interpret fun ideas for Father’s Day.  The point is to spend quality time together.  Work and play together for a change instead of going in separate directions.  In the process you might begin a tradition that you both want to continue every year.

Resolutions for 2013

New Year’s Eve is around the corner and if you’re like most people, you have a few resolutions in mind.  Are you planning to lose weight?  Get more exercise?  Be more productive?

I am not planning to lose weight.  The last time I checked I weighed 120 lbs and for my height (5 feet 10 inches) I’m actually underweight.  According to Robinson’s formula I should weigh 145 lbs.  I'm not fanatic about my weight anyway, as long as I fit into my jeans I'm fine.

As for exercising … I’ve tried all sorts of things in days gone by.  I practiced Shotokan karate and achieved the status of black belt, second Dan.  For reasons we won’t get into now, I don’t practice anymore and I doubt I can still execute the moves.

A brief exposure to yoga didn’t go so well.  I could manage the basic stretch exercises, but when attempting the lotus position it looked like I was trying to tie myself into a knot.  I managed to place my right foot onto my left thigh without any problems, but when I tried to twist my left foot onto my right thigh my companion burst into peals of laughter.  First I fell backward, next I rolled sideways, and just when I thought I was headed for success an almighty cramp shot through my left foot.  It was enough to put me off yoga forever.

I tried aerobics and oh boy, that was a complete disaster.  The floor workout went fine, the leg movements posed no problem, but where it came to the arm exercises … they spelled disaster.  Fired up by the rhythmic music I spread my arms a little too enthusiastically and flung lampshade clean off the dresser.  Oh oh … how was I going to explain this?  Blame it on Jane Fonda?

After that, I would have dearly loved to take up fencing or archery, but my family wouldn't allow it. 

So I took an interest in music instead.

The first instrument I learned to play was the Melodica.  

I loved this type of flute.  Unfortunately, Pitoe (our cat) did not.  As soon as I started playing, he left the room.  He didn’t just leave the room though, he went upstairs to one of the bedrooms.  Cat lover as I am I thought I’d save him the trouble and I would go to my room to play.  According to my family this plan didn’t really work.  Even though there was a ceiling between me and Pitoe, he would wake up from his slumber and start meowing toward the ceiling like a dog howling at the moon.  Eventually I retreated to the garden to play, but then the neighbors started complaining.

Fine, I packed away my Melodica and bought an acoustic guitar.  That didn’t last very long.  I wasn’t very good at it, and I was even worse when adjusting the strings.  I had a tendency of giving them too much tension to the point where the snapped.  One moment I would turn the nob and the next … ping, there went a string.  When one of the strings narrowly missed my eye, I knew it was time to try something else.

To cut a long story short … I got into writing.  All things considered, that didn't go too bad.  I wrote three novels and two children's books, but with the arrival of the Internet – and especially Facebook and its many games – I became horribly distracted.

So that’s my resolution for 2013 … more writing, less games.  I’m planning on keeping a journal and to finish a book I’m working on.  I have a title … “Temporarily Yours” and I have five chapters so far.  Let’s see if I can make it to the epilogue before 2014, shall we?

Do I have a mental problem?

I received a comment today, asking if I had a mental problem.  This person was doing research for an essay and had stumbled across my blog.

I briefly considered defending my point of view, but then I thought ... neih, it’s not worth it.  If I say something, he/she is going to say something back, and then I’ll say something back and before you know it a simple comment has turned into a heated argument.  So, I left it alone and moved on.

The comment got me thinking though ... do I have a mental problem?  If I do, there’s a perfectly good explanation for it.

There was a time that I occupied myself with cleaning, cooking and gardening.  In my spare time I wrote a weekly letter home, did some knitting, crocheting, embroidery and beading.

The house was always spotless, something was simmering on the stove and my family and I had plenty of sweaters, scarfs and hats.  Even in the bathroom there was evidence of my creativity ... the spare toilet roll was kitted out in an original jacket.

With the arrival of the computer – and especially the Internet – everything changed.  Suddenly there was a fine layer of dust on the furniture and the windows had lost a bit of their sparkle.  Occasionally we would have take-out and bought sweaters replaced hand knitted ones.

I don’t even know how or when it happened, but suddenly I spend my days writing.  If I don’t write articles, I research articles.  If I don’t surf from website to website, I write emails or answer emails.  In between, I post this, that and the other on Facebook and leave comments on other people’s posts.  Via Facebook I visit blogs and leave comments there too.  Write, write, write, that’s all I do.

Okay, I play a fair amount of games on Facebook too, but that’s beside the point.

When I finally retire and go to bed, I have to share my space with two or three cats.  They curl up or stretch out and I have to adjust my sleeping position accordingly. 

It wouldn’t be so bad if they were quiet sleepers, but they’re not.  Mickey snores, Charlotte sighs and Gabriel makes funny little meow noises. 

In addition, Mickey has a tendency of kicking me when I don’t give him room to stretch, Gabriel swats his fury tail in my face, while Charlotte walks all over me.  She tramples over my chest, pushes her cold wet nose in my ear and says “krrrrrr, krrrrr, krrrrr!”  You try sleeping with that lot.

(Meantime, Dieter sleep with Chanel, a perfectly good and quite kitty cat ... even she too has a tendency to snore.)

Finally we all go to sleep, but only until dawn.  As soon as the sun rises Gabriel awakens and his theory is ... if I’m awake, so should everybody else.  So, he starts meowing.  Not softly mind you, but loud and insistent, and increasing in volume.  In fact, his meowing is like singing an aria from Aida.  Verdi would be proud of him.

After they had their breakfast, the kitty cats go back to sleep and so do I.  Not for long though, their internal clock is finely tuned and sooner or later they decide that it’s time to get up.  So I get up.

If you think I can shower and brush my teeth in peace and quiet, think again.  It doesn’t take long before there’s scratching on the door.  I open the door and Mickey walks in.  He takes a look around and wants to go out.  I open door.  He hears the water being turned on and he wants to come back in.  I open the door.  The bathroom is too hot for him and he wants to go back out.  I open the door.

There’s more scratching at the door.  I open the door.  Charlotte walks in.  She wants a drink at the sink.  She too decides that the bathroom is too hot and wants to go out.  I open the door.  Jeez Louise, these cats need a concierge.

For the remainder of the day I have peace and quiet.  The evening though brings a flurry of activity.  While I try to concentrate on writing, the cats play games.  Games that increase in roughness as time goes by.  Occasionally I have to yell “Guys!  Calm down!”

For a few minutes they behave themselves until the madness starts all over again.  They’re favorite game being racing, NASCAR style.  They sprint from room to room, jump on chairs, fly over tables, only to go sprinting from room to room again. 

I yell again for them to calm down when there’s a loud crash ... that was my favorite lamp.  (I can’t tell you how many pieces have bitten the dust at the hands/paws of my fury kids.

Writing and cats ... not a good combination.  Is it any wonder that I have a mental problem?