Words are amazing. There are some who think that without words, we are animals. There are three specific words that make a huge and changing impact on our lives. Not "clean your room" or "eat your peas". No, I'm talking about "I love you".
Those three simple words mean so many many different things. And the meaning morphs over the years. Consider this, as a child, I love you has a completely innocent meaning. You love your parents, and your friends, and you even love that kid you just met at the park. When you get older, in those dreaded teenage years, you love your boyfriend. (Lord help us.) Then you get, you know, old, and you love your spouse and junk. And when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much... Yep, kids. And you love them. And then they learn to talk... and it's all over from there.
At first they love you for real, and then they learn. Oh ho, do they learn. When my babies tell me they love me, they either actually mean it, have made a truly epic mess or really really want something. When my daughter painted the dining room with chocolate syrup, she loved me. When my son desperately wanted some dumb toy he saw on a commercial, he loved me. And when he got a boo boo and I made it better, he loved me.
I know from experience what it will soon turn into. I love you Daddy, give me money. I love you Mommy, I failed science. I love you guys, I wrecked the car, got a tattoo, ran over the neighbors dog, got arrested please bail me out did I mention I love you. And then the cycle will repeat and I will get as much joy out of laughing at my kids becoming parents as mine get from watching me. And yes Mom, you were right. I love you (I'm sorry for ever being a teenager.)
7.31.2011
A word on television
Back in the day, it was all black and white and there were only like three channels. Then came color. OMG! It's like blowin' my mind. Then cable, satellite, and now you can watch television shows online, on any number of mobile devices, or stream television shows from the internet to your tv. Yes, it does seem redundant, but a LOT of us are doing it. I'm guilty. It truly is turning into more than an idiot box. It's like an idiot world. (and I am an idiot girl.)
The other issue, other than Jersey Shore, is monitoring your child's overall consumption of waves from the tube. Television is a dangerous place to leave your child. Some of our favorite programs that are seemingly benign, turn into loaded weapons in the hands (or brains) of children. I'm not saying that by watching CSI, your kid is going to grow up to be a murderer. It's more a problem of nuance and content. My son has lovingly dubbed every show I watch as a "creepy show". It sometimes bothers him that all I watch are creepy shows. He has a point. Dead people are creepy... as are police officers stuck in the 1970s.
There is an attitude out there that "We saw that stuff, and we turned out fine". I think that's fine until my kid is snarky like Dr. Greg House. That being said, I am not above using those beautiful kid channels as a temporary babysitter. PBS, Disney and Nick Jr. are like magic. Like a ray of sunshine in a crazy day. Who knew that a mother could be so happy to have their child learn about dinosaur poop or a talking sandwich having a party in someone's tummy. We, as parents mercilessly mock children's shows. I think it's because we're secretly jealous. Jealous that we can't make them behave as well as Dora and Boots.
So when you really really have to shower (by yourself), the kitchen is still dirty (from last week) or your brain is going to explode, turn on the good ole television, run away and know that your children will be learning... something (not the least of which is a song that will make you hate them). Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog!
The other issue, other than Jersey Shore, is monitoring your child's overall consumption of waves from the tube. Television is a dangerous place to leave your child. Some of our favorite programs that are seemingly benign, turn into loaded weapons in the hands (or brains) of children. I'm not saying that by watching CSI, your kid is going to grow up to be a murderer. It's more a problem of nuance and content. My son has lovingly dubbed every show I watch as a "creepy show". It sometimes bothers him that all I watch are creepy shows. He has a point. Dead people are creepy... as are police officers stuck in the 1970s.
There is an attitude out there that "We saw that stuff, and we turned out fine". I think that's fine until my kid is snarky like Dr. Greg House. That being said, I am not above using those beautiful kid channels as a temporary babysitter. PBS, Disney and Nick Jr. are like magic. Like a ray of sunshine in a crazy day. Who knew that a mother could be so happy to have their child learn about dinosaur poop or a talking sandwich having a party in someone's tummy. We, as parents mercilessly mock children's shows. I think it's because we're secretly jealous. Jealous that we can't make them behave as well as Dora and Boots.
So when you really really have to shower (by yourself), the kitchen is still dirty (from last week) or your brain is going to explode, turn on the good ole television, run away and know that your children will be learning... something (not the least of which is a song that will make you hate them). Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggety dog!
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