Computer orphans

I turned around from the computer yesterday to find my 18 month old eating cream cheese from the container with a spoon. I guess it could have been worse but it wasn't easy to clean up and he wasn't too happy when I took it away. Guilt forced me to take them to the playground. This morning I'm not sure how long my 3 year old had been speaking to me before he shouted, "Mama - can you hear me?" It turned out he was asking me to switch on Mario Kart on the Wii for him. I replied with, "Later on." Why? Because I felt that he could be better occupied by his more educational toys. One rule for Mother Goose...

He got one over on me with the whole Mario Kart thing when he used a principle I had taught him against me. "You said if I wanted to get good at something I should practice every day and I want to be good at this." I was a bit flummoxed for a while until I justified it with the fact it is more active than passive TV watching, he is improving so reaffirming the concept of practice equals results, and I guess he is learning to steer and brake to some extent. So he is allowed an hour a day. I explained that it wasn't good to play video games for too long as it wasn't using enough energy and it's not great for eyesight. I don't know if that's completely true but he accepted it no problem and for now we're both happy.

The little one unfortunately has been born into a world with recordable, rewindable TV and will bang his hands on the arm of the chair to get me to fast forward past the beginning of the Night Garden to the bit with the Pinky Bonk that he likes. He also brings me the remote control and demands I turn on a programme for him. We spent one day not turning it on at all and although he was distractable I was completely exhausted by the end of the day and got absolutely nothing else done. Not quite sure what to do about that one yet. My eldest barely watched any TV at that age let alone discerned not only between programmes but parts of programmes. I guess we'll figure it out. I just wish the weather would improve so I could throw them out into the garden for longer while I stare at a screen.