Category: parents today

Another Reason Happy Meals Are Perfect Food

McDonald's Happy MealI already knew McDonald’s Happy Meals were the perfect meal for kids. What’s not to like? They are cheap and fast. Kids actually eat them. They come with a new, top quality toy that won’t break for years. And there are choices, but not too many choices that will overwhelm your kids – chicken or hamburger? fries or apples? regular or chocolate milk? It is, quite possibly the perfect meal for kids.

Just when I thought there was nothing that could possibly make Happy Meals any better…I found the Davies McDonalds Happy Meal Project. Sally Davies, a photographer in New York, bought a Happy Meal, left it on the table, and took a picture of it over six months to see how it might change. Or not. It turns out it didn’t change much at all. Sure, it got a little harder. But there was not a speck of mold on the bun or the meat. The french fries remained a nice golden yellow.

No more throwing away half eaten Happy Meals!

Who is this Child?

Let me give a summary of how just about every day with Thing 3 goes these days. He wakes up around 6:30am in a bad mood, crying for no particular reason until he has his cup of milk like a two-pack-a-day smoker has to have his first smoke.

It takes little to set him off on a tantrum and I can never predict what will set him off, but I can predict with near certainty there will be something that does. It could be the wrong color cup or cereal bowl. It could be the wrong show on tv. Or the wrong color shirt. Oh, I always ask which one he wants first but I now realize they are all the wrong ones. The tantrum is coming. And you can forget about even suggesting the “P” (potty) word to him or you’re in for a world of hurt.

At night, we have a similar ritual around bedtime. No matter what it’s always the wrong pajamas. Then he doesn’t want to brush his teeth or go to bed. So he bangs on the wall, throws books in his room, and his new favorite act of defiance spitting on the wall. This goes on for a good 30 minutes until we all exhaust ourselves.

I assumed the time in between these lovely bookends to my day went much the same. This is the time Thing 3 is at preschool. That is, until we got this note from his teacher:

Thing 3 “is such a delight to have in our classroom. He is very bright – sometimes silly and sometimes serious – a good combination. He is doing well at number recognition and we are practicing our letters. He now comes to us if he needs to go potty – sometimes it has already happened and sometimes we make it there on time!! He is very helpful in the classroom and a very caring, sharing young man!!”

Seriously, this is the same kid? Sure, I’ve seen glimpses of this model child but it’s completely surrounded by the crying, spitting, throwing, and terrorizing. I guess there is some reason for hope.

Totally Unprecedented

It is 6:02am and all 4 kids are STILL SLEEPING! If this happened every day, I could be amazingly productive and write lots of blog posts every morning. I could get used to this. But I probably shouldn’t.

Oh well, looks like I just jinxed myself. I hear footsteps coming downstairs and Thing 4 is awake and needs a bottle fast. It was nice while it lasted.

Kids and Technology

It goes without saying that kids these days are way ahead when it comes to using technology. With all the toys and devices they see a a very early age, it isn’t a matter of learning to use them, it just comes natural to them.

At two years old, Thing 3 was using the computer himself, finding and opening the programs he liked using the mouse after watching me do it a few times. Now he breaks through the child protection lock on the office door, climbs up to the desk, and opens the MS Paint program and makes a drawing.

Thing 1 and 2 have been playing games and checking sports scores on my iPhone for years. They know how to take pictures and scroll through the albums.? I have found a picture of Thing 2’s butt on more than one occasion.

It took a month of serious practicing for me to finally beat Thing 1’s high score on Fall Down. They both routinely beat me at most Wii games and at 5 and 6 years old have figured out how to do things on the Wii I can’t follow. The ease with which they surpassed me was unnerving, considering I pride myself on being a bit of an expert having spent much of my youth playing Atari. Not to mention I happen to program computer software for a living.

This morning we were unsure if we needed to pack lunch for Thing 1’s field trip. While I debated making lunch just in case, he said: “Why don’t you just email the teachers and find out?”

And when he asks me a question I can’t answer, which is often, he says: “We can Google it.”

I suppose it’s the same as when I was a kid and my parents needed me to program the VCR.? So now I am the modern day equivalent of a VCR blinking 12:00.

How Girls Are Different So Far

When Thing 4 arrived, our first girl after 3 boys, I was fully prepared for everything that comes with a newborn. Car seats, strollers, bottles, sleepless nights, spit-ups, crying. Been there, done that 3 times.

Most stuff is pretty much the same, so far, with a girl as it was with the boys. I know this will change soon enough. But there have been some differences already.

Girls get a lot more gifts, especially clothes. We have already filled all her drawers and closet with clothes from family, friends, neighbors, and people we’ve never met before.

Girls don’t pee all over you and the wall when you change their diaper.

Girls need to have some pink on them at all times. Blankets, bibs, and clothes which are gender neutral colors like white or green or yellow, and were perfectly good for 3 boys, all need to be replaced with new ones which have pink on them.

What else am I in for with a girl?

Take Your Child To No Work Day

Yesterday was take your child to work day, or as it’s officially known, Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day. It started in 1993 with just girls but has expanded to boys in 2003.

I get the concept. Give kids an idea what their parents do all day. But that’s hardly what happened yesterday. Thing 1 had a day packed with fun activities and kids programs.

After a breakfast spread of cereals, fruit, and juice boxes, we had a kickoff speaker/pep rally for the hundreds of kids ages 6-12 that were attending.

Then the activities started. More than a dozen to choose from, I had pre-registered Thing 1 and me for five 45 minute sessions including an outdoor obstacle course and kickball, planting flowers for earth day, art projects, a scavenger hunt, and tour of the video studio. In between there was an all you can eat lunch buffett and ice cream party. Then a choice of two movies at the end of the day.

At no point did I engage in normal work day activities. I assure you a typical day for me does not include coloring. The kids did get to observe some work, I guess, if you count the people with no kids who were at their desks trying to work amidst the constant parade of kids asking which activity we’re doing next.

A New Level Of Multitasking

There is no better training for multitasking than parenting. You are constantly juggling several things at the same time. Like talking on the phone while making dinner while helping the kid go potty while giving another kid a timeout. All while trying to change a diaper.

Since the arrival of Thing 4 I have had to up my multitasking game. Here I am one morning this week. I’m feeding Thing 4, with a bluetooth headseat in my ear so I can be on a conference call for work, while refereeing a game of dodgeball between Thing 1 and Thing 2.? What you can’t see in the picture is Thing 3 who is probably climbing on something he shouldn’t be.

multitasking