Question the Wisdom
Properly disciplined children know what’s up when mom or dad shoots them “the look,” that nonverbal cue to behave. The problem, writes this editorial’s author, is that some parents don’t dispense discipline at home, leading to bratty behavior that no look can quash.
I’m still working on my look.
Mammas don’t let your babies grow up to be assholes
Today at the Hall of Science, this thick, one-year-old bruiser pounded his meaty palms on a ledge just below The Boss’s face. Without making a move towards the boy, his mother gushed, “Oh, he can be aggressive sometimes.”
I took my cue from the Dog Whisperer and led The Boss away without saying anything. But all I could think was, “Lady, if your kid hits my kid, then I’m going to hit you. That’s how it’ll play out.”
Teaching a child to behave is about preventing an offensive act, not making excuses for it. Permissive parenting benefits no one, least of all the child.
kaumealani replied to: The Boss finally tore herself away from the…
That was Aeva’s favorite thing at our museum too, lol. We even got her a ball toy because of it, and she loves it.
My Boss already has more than enough balls. She inherited them from me.
On a related note, I recently learned that the whole “forced air floating a plastic ball” thing demonstrates Bernoulli’s principle of fluid dynamics. (A practical explanation can be viewed here.) Its application not only keeps plastic balls afloat for the amusement of young children. It’s also the basis of airplane flight.
The Boss finally tore herself away from the museum’s requisite ballet bar and relished this feature: an elephant’s trunk that blew cool air to keep an orange plastic ball afloat. Levitation was its first lure, but after a few minutes, The Boss was more impressed with the rush of air blowing in her face.
Our mission to visit every children’s museum in America for free continued last weekend with an impromptu drive to Connecticut. The Stepping Stones Museum for Children, in Norwalk, has been the most impressive so far.
Its preschool play area was bright and roomy, with lots of interactive features for The Boss to enjoy. Another exhibit taught kids (and adults) the benefits of good nutrition. And there was an art studio in which to glue and glitter various masterpieces.
But the museum’s big hit was the Energy Lab, which housed three stainless steel, kid-level tanks filled with cold water and colorful plastic balls (above). The lesson in thermodynamics didn’t hold The Boss’s attention, but Ron and I had fun blasting plastic balls towards the ceiling with an air cannon.
From “Where Families Are Prized, Help Is Free” (New York Times)
If only Israelis and Palestinians weren’t so preoccupied with mutual annihilation, I might take Benjamin Netanyahu up on this offer. For now, it’s just a lot safer to spring $500 on a newborn at Taco Bell.
My little family is milking its membership to the New York Hall of Science. The Boss and I hit its air-conditioned preschool play area every Thursday and Friday, and once Ron and I complete our weekend errands, we reward The Boss’s patience with another visit.
If tomorrow’s weather cooperates, I’ll take The Boss to the museum’s outdoor science playground. It’s got a sandbox that she might like.
This week’s unbearable heat and humidity have meant early visits to the playground and confinement to our air-conditioned living room.
Thankfully, The Boss doesn’t mind spending afternoons at home, as long as she can get in a game of tag while wearing pants on her head.
A lesson in developmental biology
- Ron: Is this teething toy dirty?
- Me: I don't know. Just clean it with a baby wipe.
- Ron: No way! There are all kinds of chemicals in those wipes.
- Me: They're safe enough to use on The Boss's ass.
- Ron: Ass and mouth are two different things.
- Me: No, ass and mouth are exactly the same thing.
From “The Stolen Stroller, An Urban Bourgeois Problem?”
My inner schmuck says yes. My mommy brain—the one that leaves the $240 City Mini parked by a bench while The Boss and I waddle across the playground—says no.
