Confessions of a Ragged Mother - Toys

My Confession of the day:

Remember when I was on my high horse and I inferred something along the lines of electronic toys are of the devil or some such thing? Yeah. That was me.

The truth is...I believe toys without batteries are ideal, especially when there is an adult at standby to play along.

The next truth is that I have seriously way too many Melissa & Doug hand painted toys, and we can't possibly utilize all of them in a single day. And then the preschool mathematical manipulatives like counting bears, colored links, pattern cards...abundance. I love*love*love these things. I am an easy target for marketing emails saying, "Since your children enjoyed the bead sequencing set, just wait until they try the Geometric Stacker! And guess what? It's half price until midnight!" Just entice me with something to work those little fingers and minds, why don't ya! ME: MARKETER'S DREAM.

The next truth is that they don't play themselves. They are inanimate. Studies do not show that they jump out of the plastic bin and into the laps of my three 3-year olds. There is no scientific proof that IQ points go up by twos when we touch them. There is no evidence that two of the three of my tots can sit and concentrate on anything for 30 seconds or longer. And they are knocking down the counting bears lined up and sorted by the third tot because they just want to be right next to him doing what he does.

Now the really painful truth. There is only one of me and three of them. And the three of them are very impulsive. Not just three-year old impulsive. SHOCK-THE-DOCTORS impulsive. One of me...three of them. Two slow old lady hands versus six bionic hands, located on 3 bodies with six little legs that run fast as they can. Sure, I am a pretty fast runner. But they can go in three different directions. So far, I've only been able to run in one. I jest, of course. Sorta. Kinda. I mean, you've seen the old episodes of Jon & Kate with the multitude of toddlers right? Its kinda like breaking up a riot. I jest. Kinda.

In all truth, toys are toys are toys. Who cares what the blogs of way-awesomer-moms-than-me say? Toys with batteries have been given to my little ones, and none of them has had a seizure or turned into a juvenile delinquent. In fact, a leap frog Fridge Phonics Alphabet Set was given to us and I put it in my son's bedroom so he could play with it when he woke up early in the mornings. Within a week, The Stunt Man knew every letter and number (1-10) by sight, and he was not yet 3.

WAIT A MINUTE! That is contrary to 90% of the mom blogs on my roll! Its supposed to make him have a shorter attention span and be just....just...just generally screwed up!

Maria Montessori would throw up in her mouth!

What kind of mom am I?

I'm a real mom with the real issue of time constraints and the limited use of 2 hands at my avail. I can't hand-over-hand play (teach) each tot at the same time. With the surge of electricity coursing through their veins at all times, when I hand-over-hand play with one, within two seconds, the other two are riding their bikes around the downstairs. I could make them sit still and focus on the beautiful hand-painted wooden toy lying on the table before them, but I am wholeheartedly against tying toddlers to chairs...period. =0) The focus part, I have no control over.

If your three-year olds have impulse control, God bless you.

If your day has 72 hours and your 18 month old can knit and build robotics, God bless you.

If you have a battery-operated-toy-free home and this makes you a better parent, God bless you.

But sometimes, my kids learn actually do learn with a game on an ipad in Daddy's lap, a leap-frog word builder in their bed at 5:45 am, or a hand-held Fisher-Price iXL with a stylus and some letter writing practice.

And sometimes, just sometimes, what they learn on kaplankids.com translates to new ideas for their block building or bead sequencing.

In truth: It's all good. I set my standards for my house. This isn't middle school. I don't have to measure up to the status quo. It's okay! My children are happy, healthy, and adored. They can't sit still to save their lives without some sort of 5 point harness, but that will come in time. =0)

Blessings!