My mom came for a visit last week and it was both fun and a big help (allowing me to do things during the day that I just can’t do with a kid in tow). Anyway, the other morning I came downstairs after taking a shower and Madame was in her bouncy seat, smack dab right in front of the television watching Jo Jo’s Circus on the Disney Channel. And she was riveted. My mom looks at me and says (joking), “This taking-care-of-the-kid stuff is easy.”
It made me laugh because my wife and I had never thought to put something on the TV specifically for Madame before, because it seemed like something you weren’t supposed to do, but mostly because she was so into it. Later that night while we were eating dinner we tried one of the Baby Einstein DVDs we had (but had yet to try) and again it worked like a charm. We kind of felt guilty, but it was seriously the first meal we’ve eaten together beginning to end since the baby arrived, and it was nice.
So I guess I’m still up in the air about this. On one hand the Baby Einstein videos are really sweet and it’s hard to imagine they are harmful. Not to mention the fact that sometimes the benefit of a non-screaming baby to the family can’t be too overlooked. But on the other hand I kind of feel like I’m starting off on this slippery slope that’s going to end with endless loops of Mary Kate and Ashley videos. I guess as long as I use it judiciously and not as a replacement for real interaction I’ll be OK (which I imagine is the attitude of every other rookie parent). Hell, when I was a kid I used to watch two Sesame Streets, Mr. Rogers and Villa Alegre every day and I didn’t turn out so bad.
Thanks mom.