Sixty Three Hours

While many in the working world are dreading this rainy, dreary, traffic-filled Monday morning, I am not. Oh, it’s certainly not because of what I will be doing today. I look forward to my job about as much as, well, since many of my co-workers and boss read this, I’ll just say there are worse things I could be doing all day for money.

No, what makes me so happy on Monday morning is what I won’t be doing today. After spending the last 63 hours without a minute of peace or time to myself (also known as the weekend), it’s nice to think about sitting at my desk for hours without any crying, whining, screaming, fighting, cleaning, or interruptions. That is, until Friday, when I will have had enough of the “calm” that is my job and look forward to another 63 hours away from it.

It’s an endless cycle.

Advertising Works. No kidding.

Researchers recently found out that kids prefer the taste of food that comes in a package with cartoon characters. Really? I had no idea. Oh, is this the reason they put all the Sponge Bob mac & cheese boxes at knee level where Thing 3 can grab it as he is running down the aisles at the supermarket?

My kids are already well conditioned by brands and advertising. By the age of 3 they all knew Starbucks, McDonalds, and Target and ask for them by name. Except, of course, Thing 3 who defies any kind of conditioning and marches to his own beat. He absolutely loves Lucky Charms, at least we call them Lucky Charms, but in fact he will only eat the store brand “marshmallow oat cereal”. And trust me, he can tell the difference just by looking at the cereal in the bowl.

And Here Comes The Payoff

After a Christmas Eve with family where they were all up way past their usual bedtime, bouncing off the walls with excitement. Then a late night for us cleaning the feast and doing Santa’s work. This morning Thing 1 led the way, up at the crack of dawn, for a morning full of presents and candy (only on Christmas morning). The afternoon brought no naps and tantrums.

All leading up to now – the big payoff. 7:55pm and all four kids are quiet in bed. Do you hear that sound? Me neither, it’s quiet. Except for
maybe the crack of another bottle of wine.

There is a winter storm warning for tomorrow. A possible Nor’easter. Which means tomorrow has the chance for 4 soon to be very well rested kids to be trapped inside the house again.

Better enjoy this while I can. Crack that wine.

Babies Cannot Read

Baby readingThere was a segment on the Today show this morning about the Your Baby Can Read DVD “Early Language Child Development” Program. Apparently, there are parents who, after spending hundreds of dollars on the DVD’s, feel cheated and duped because they believe the program to be a scam. After using the system, their babies were not able to read.

Are we to feel sorry for these parents? News fllash: babies can’t read! I worry about how well these kids will fare in life having such gullible parents. I can just imagine when the kids are in high school…

Kid: “Mom, I need $100 for a school math project”
Parent: “Ok, sure”

Kid: “Dad, I need you to buy me some beer to conduct a science experiment for school”
Parent: “Ok, sure. Do you need any hard stuff?”

Just how many gullible parents are out there who think a DVD can change the course of human development and teach babies to read? Well, if this is any indication, the Your Baby Can Read Facebook Page has over 11,000 fans!

I have an idea. How about a DVD that teaches parents how to not spend money on worthless crap that claims will make your kid smarter? You can have it for only $14.99.