I figure the best way to keep her confident and eager to explore is not to make a production about the stumbles along the way.

I definitely tend toward the Dad-ish "walk it off" attitude. The truth is that little kids want their boo boos acknowledged (which I always do with a script like: "Oh no! I know that hurts. Let me see that. Okay, it doesn't look broken. You want to keep playing?"). But I think making a fuss can be problematic.

At the practice where Emmett broke his nose, one of the other players (a good athelete too) took a grounder off his wrist and started to get all lip trembly. It didn't bruise at all or scratch him or cut him. I'm sure it hurt for a second, but I could tell he was waiting for more fuss than I was willing to give him. But I steered him back to "You think you can still play?" pretty quickly and he was fine. By 8 y.o. I expect kids to deal with boo boos.

t /heartless coach

cringes

DVRs. Thinking of getting one. Doesn't have to be DVD-burning-capable. (I like the frilly extra bits on boxed sets, so would buy programs I want to own...eventually.)

However, because Alfredo and I are INCREDIBLE geeks, we forget to watch shows we want to see constantly.

So: suggestions? Is TiVO the way to go?

Additional addendum of trouble: we own no land line. Why should we, our cel phones are on a family plan, 99% of my phone calls are to him, and no matter how far we are, they're always free. The TiVO specs suggest a land line is absolutely imperative for the very first hookup call.

Which would make them Not Such A Good Option.

Is TiVO the way to go?

I love mine. We've got it hooked up through our DSL instead of the landline though. So, if you're already got DSL for your computers I think you're set. I'm sure they've got a workaround for those folks who've switched to all-cell all the time.

However, because Alfredo and I are INCREDIBLE geeks, we forget to watch shows we want to see constantly.

This will never happen again when you get the TiVo. It makes the TV schedule your bitch. OTOH, you become Tivo's adoring fanboy. Kind of a tradeoff.

StuntHusband, does your cable operator offer DVR's in their services? Although I admire Tivo (it's intuitive!) but I am currently using Tifaux (someone here coined this term, I think) from Time Warner and it's really a good compromise.

We get digital cable, and we can record shows, and program recording options that will record all new episodes, all episodes, etc. with the touch of a button.

Sure, it doesn't search out and find things I might like but I decided against the initial bigger investment of buying a Tivo and subscribing. Mine's all done with rental and no long term committment.

t delusional I can quit any time I want to t /delusional

So: suggestions? Is TiVO the way to go?

Why did I think you & Alfredo already *owned* a TiVO?

(Er, and I meant to post this in the Tech room, but I'm still recovering from a small cold that did 2 things: gave me a gravelly voice, and made me VERY SPACY IN DA BRAIN.)

Anyway: we have cable, no DSL - DSL implies phone line somewhere. And yeah, perusing the TiVO website a bit more has info for Guided Setup for Folk Without Phones (i.e. walk to someone's house who has a phone.)

Once Setup is done, it wuuuuuvs broadband. And our broadband is tres magnifique. Of course: He works for Microsoft, I work for Nintendo, we both play online games constantly. Without strong broadband, we'd both snap ("ka-PING!") and blood would flow in the streets like today's rain.

Yep. Too much caffiene before work.

We're on Comcast - not digital, not enough TV-watching to warrant it, and our tastes are very narrow - and I'll have to poke about a bit to discover an answer to that.

Jilli, I know why you thought so: it'd MAKE SENSE if we did. :)

Are parents still being told to be worried about cuddling their children too much, about making too much of a fuss if the kidlet is dinged or scared etc.? I've heard arguments saying that "coddling" the child will make it harder for them to go out and experience the world, but I have a hard time imagining a self-respecting ten-year-old afraid to leave his mother's side.

I often heard from "helpful elders" that I coddled my boys by letting them sleep with me, picked them up when they cried, etc. I am a big fan of tranquility and held them until they fell asleep every day. Any time they wanted to be snuggled I was there. They never cried for long, because I really hate to hear a kid cry. The boys are 10 and 13 now. They are the most independent kids I know. Heaven forbid I suggest they need help fixing breakfast. They no longer want to sleep with me and (thankfully since they are so big) almost never want to sit in my lap. Neither one of them ever had a temper tantrum in the grocery store. I figure it was because they didn't need to get my attention. Yep, I spoiled them. Yet I don't think anyone would think of them as spoiled kids.

Aw. Now I want Laura to spoil me.

It would be my pleasure Karl! Particularly since you are a guy who clearly knows how to spoil.