LinnyBee's Profile

FIFTHPOCKET, hahahaha, laugh of the day!

My 3-year-old son DOES use our iPad almost every day. I'm pregnant and work nights and he wakes up early. Our iPad is stocked with educational age-appropriate apps, and the Netflix que is full of shows he's allowed to watch. I'm not ashamed to admit that sometimes I need an extra 30-60 minutes of sleep in the morning and you know what? The iPad gives it to me. He chills in my bed and uses it. Yet amazingly he is "comfortable playing, reading, coloring, looking out the window, listening to music, etc." He has to be in the car for a straight hour+ almost every day and he's perfectly happy listening to music and looking out the window. He will gladly play alone for at least an hour and a half at a time. If it were up to him, the time would never come for me to say "ok, this is the last book" (and believe it or not I read to him daily!). In good weather we spend several hours outside every day. When we go out to places I know he'll think are boring, he usually brings 1-2 small toys (that fit in his hand) and they keep him pretty well occupied. My point is not to say my child is perfect and I'm a perfect mother, but a child can be just as well rounded WITH technology as they can be without it.

I'm in no way advocating giving a child a tablet every time they're bored, but judging a parent because you see them give their kid their phone in the store or a restaurant is so wrong. You're seeing this tiny snippet of their lives and who knows what motivated them to do that. Maybe they're having a terrible day and need that little break for whatever reason. I sincerely hope that you all aren't as nasty and judgmental in real life as you are online.

Regarding "simply not going on long plane rides" with small children. I wish I didn't have to, but if I didn't take my kid on long plane rides he would not know anyone in my family. Tons of people are in the same boat. I think children getting to know their extended families is worth letting them using a tablet for a few hours on a plane, no?

That's so cute and hilarious. It reminds me of something the dean from the show Community would do for himself. Very clever and creative!

Gosh, I love these. Feeling inspired!!

Balloon art is so charming. Loving #1 and 4 so much! And I think I'm gonna copy #3. This artist has lots of cute balloon art, and other stuff too: http://www.etsy.com/shop/trafalgarssquare?section_id=6791721

I love this! And it's so much easier than it looks, definitely making one for baby to be!

I'm so tired of the "What does this have to do with design?" comments on family posts, but I understand the previous AT readers hating this post. I only followed ohdeedoh before and ever since the switch I think most of your readers have been annoyed, for different reasons. Can't you just change the site back to the way it was before?

I love that quote, too! Everything about the party is great, but the tree planting is wonderful!

This is so awesome. My son only recently turned three but I'm already planning on having a similar party for his 5th or 6th birthday. The telephone booth is just, seriously, amazing.

Psh, I love flowers and girly things! If I had a daughter I can only imagine... But I don't think flowers are only for girls, I mean they're nature. My son's room is sky blue with clouds and flowers, granted that's because we can't paint it, but still. Good for you writing about something you love and forgetting the haters!