Twitter, Playstation 3, Facebook, Myspace, PSP, IPHONES... The list is endless...
Don't get me wrong, I am a technology geek 100% I can't get enough of it and as soon as I step foot into any best buy or electronics section of target / walmart, I am in the zone... But when is it too much? And when is it appropriate? And what about our kids? What happened to the good old days of children playing baseball outside, riding their bikes, going on nature hikes, etc... Are these activities extinct?
Social websites have taken over social interaction. And it's starting to scare me. Even in school, where you stick 30 kids in one room, they have their text messages, smart phone applications, instant messaging... They can avoid all forms of social interaction and It's gotten to the point where a fist fight is more reminiscent of social normalcy than a poke (on facebook).
Maybe it's our fault? Maybe we've let these technological devices take over not only our childrens lives, but our roles in their lives as well. Maybe we've let Mr. Playstation 3 & Mrs. Twitter become the parents, the babysitters, the nannies, the housekeepers... You know what... I think that's exactly the case... But there's no way any kid would let me take away their android device... So now what? How do I get kids to start talking? interacting? discussing? learning? (and don't say the internet).
Okay I'VE GOT IT! - I need a nanny! Not just any nanny though. A nanny who understands that CHANGING times require OLD strategies! I'm a genius! Now the search begins... (and yes, i'm using the internet)
I've checked out a bunch of nanny sites and they are all pretty much offering the same service, give or take a few minor details. The most affordable by far was Elitesitter.com and so that's what I went with. I filtered results to what I needed and was willing to pay and then browsed through profiles. I was basically looking for someone who agreed with my newly discovered philosophy on child care and after several messages were exchanged, I'm interviewing some seemingly great women...
Now wait for the update.... :)
-HappyFloater (because i like to float around at work...)
As the owner of a small nanny and domestic staffing agency I can tell you the requests for nannies specializing in one type of childcare or possessing certain training varies greatly. Trends in parenting tend to stick for a few years and then change all of a sudden- often contradicting the philosophies we subscribed to 5 or 10 years prior. I think it is more than important for parents to always consider the needs of the particular child and not subscribe to a strict set of rules or one philosophy. Common sense also comes into the equation. One of the things that makes me giggle is the anti-juice craziness on the playgrounds and at schools. Juice has always had a lot of calories and more sugar than candy. We never had our bottles filled with apple juice because my mother simply read the nutrition label. You don't need trends if you listen to your common sense and your own intuition for your child. As the daughter of 2 public health administrators I can also tell you that vaccines do not cause autism and if you do not have your infant vaccinated it will put them at risk for diseases that killed the sisters and brothers of our grand parents and great grandparents. The vaccine is the best thing that has ever happened to modern medicine. Abigail Madison Staffing
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