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.

There are different ways of "spoiling" kids. If a child has its needs met within a reasonable time of making them known, either by complaining or crying, that child will have reasonable trust and expectation of fairness in the world, and will operate from a feeling of security.

A child who is ignored, let cry, petted and cooed over at the caretaker's convenience rather than the physical or emotional need of the child, that child will be less ready to believe that its needs are going to be met. It will operate from a position of suspicion, uncertainty and fear.

I think, anyway.

Is TiVO the way to go?

Is the sky blue? Is water wet?

Once Setup is done, it wuuuuuvs broadband.

This is true. I wish they'd upgrade it so it didn't need that one phone call, though.

It doesn't! There's a secret code that you can press in that will make it do the initial set-up through the wireless connection. It took some fiddling, but it worked.

Of course, if it can do it, why the fuck they make it so hard to figure out is a mystery.

eta

The TiVO specs suggest a land line is absolutely imperative for the very first hookup call.

Not so. Trikssy Tivo, we hates...ok, not really possible to hate Tivo. I can dig the Super Seekrit instructions up for you if you decide to take the plunge, StuntHusband.

It doesn't! There's a secret code that you can press in that will make it do the initial set-up through the wireless connection.

Consarnit! Oh well, it's too late for me now. And by the next time I move, we'll probably have eliminated the need for wires altogether, and be recieving television shows and phone calls through the implants in our brains.

Braaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiins.

Brenda, I could use the super Seekrit instructions, since I will need to set up my Tivo again soon.

Also, hi all!

I think the coolest bit of public behavior-management parenting I ever saw was once, in Target, when a little kid just had a full-on, fists-against-the-floor meltdown in the middle of one of the aisles, for reasons I couldn't possibly ascertain. Nothing Mom could have said would have stopped that. As soon as it was clear that the child couldn't be placated, Mom just left her cart right where it was, still full of the stuff she intended to buy, picked up said kid, and headed for the nearest exit.

This. This is what my mom would have done. And did with any of us.

It worked.

I am madly in love with Jessica. That is all.

psst I would like to hear more about the brain implants.