Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Vindicated.

I have always considered myself a bit of a slacker mom. I do not apologize for it. I tend to farm out the noisy toys that consume vast quantities of batteries, or at least tell the kids that they are *broken* when the batteries die (Sorry Mom, TJ Bearytales is not getting revived any time soon). I don't go out of my way to buy toys that require the push of a button and then passive observation. The noise drives me nuts. I want my kids to learn how to entertain themselves. That means my house is littered with books, legos, toy cars, blocks, dolls and play dishes and plastic food. I have a hard time keeping up with the clutter, but am starting to come to terms with that. I tend to sit back and watch my kids play and learn instead of always coaching them and telling them how to play. According to them I don't do things the right way anyway--I am more of a nuisance.

According to the new issue of Parent's magazine I have been right on the mark with my slacker ways. On page 141 of the June issue a reporter discusses ways to boost your child's IQ. Blocks, musical instruments, crayons and empty containers topped the list of toys that can boost a kid's brainpower. No batteries necessary.

Maybe that explains the book Emmett chose for his bedtime story last night:
*I swear on my unborn baby that book was not planted. He really, really chose it.
*In the interest of full disclosure after one or two pages it was ditched for Winnie the Pooh.

Edited to add: I really wonder if there are people out there who need to be told that blocks and crayons are more intellectually stimulating than whatever Leapfrog has to offer; or that sitting down together and reading a book is better for learning to read than having an animatronic teddy bear do the reading for you. Isn't that just common sense?

5 comments:

pollyhyper said...

That's so funny. Maybe he really likes the pic on the cover?

GalaxyGirl and Jade stayed over this weekend and at one point, near bedtime, Jade said "Be right back!" and ran into the bathroom, grabbed at copy of New Yorker magazine, and ran back to have it read to her. We cracked up. Again, it had a pretty cover.

Ashlee Rose said...

Well he looks really, really happy about reading it. :) Silly little monkey.

Anonymous said...

The expression on Emmett's face is priceless. That picture should be in a computer prgogramming magazine or something along those lines. It's awesome. Such a cute moment.
-Shari.

rocyn said...

That is too funny about the book :)

Glad to hear my laissez-faire parenting tendencies aren't horrible. Boxes, books, soap crayons are the best.

~ Elly ~ said...

yes we have a thankful lack of noisy toys. There are a couple they do enjoy (the piggie bank that oinks) but the vast majority...nope. Marvey likes the leapfrog but he likes the cause and effect of pushing a button and having it make a noise, he could care less that he's supposed to hunt down a tree... SLACKER MOMS RULE!