Jumpy Monkey

Erik Bates | January 27, 2005
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Lori Lancaster | January 27, 2005
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Dave Stoppenhagen | January 27, 2005
Now I know what to slip your kids

Lori Lancaster | January 27, 2005
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Jackie Mason | January 27, 2005
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Erik Bates | January 27, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 27, 2005
Look -- it's a thread to match Erik's new picture!!!

Scott Hardie | January 28, 2005
I think we found Erik's new nickname.

Lori: (link)

Lori Lancaster | January 29, 2005
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Anna Gregoline | January 29, 2005
Take the batteries out and tell them it's broken?

Lori Lancaster | January 29, 2005
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Kris Weberg | January 29, 2005
But lying to children is fun!

Anna Gregoline | January 30, 2005
If it's for your sanity, I think it would be worth it. You've never told a half-truth to your kids?

Lori Lancaster | January 30, 2005
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Anna Gregoline | January 30, 2005
Depends how old they are, for me. I think your kids are older and wiser than a simple lie like that. My solution for noisy toys would be not to ever put batteries in them in the first place. There are so many noisy toys these days, they drive me crazy too.

Jackie Mason | January 31, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 31, 2005
Oh, that's just great, Jackie... was it pink or purple, too??? ;DDD

Scott Hardie | January 31, 2005
Part of me wants to say, "A vacuum cleaner toy? So, what, are we ingraining the idea of household duties into our kids that young now?" But another part of me wishes that I had grown up with a toy like that because I wouldn't mind vacuuming so much today. :-)

Toy design today is leaning towards the press-a-button-and-it-does-something variety. This might be fine for early toddlers that are learning causal relationships, but I've read studies that they're actually bad for the preschool set because they play for the kid instead of with the kid. If you press a button on Elmo's belly, and he dances around and giggles, then you haven't really engaged with him or used your imagination; all you've done is learned how to do is press a button and passively watch something. That's as good for development as sitting there with a TV remote.

Amy Austin | January 31, 2005
All great points, Scott -- so true. Vacuuming, BTW, was my least-hated chore -- I actually preferred it to all other taskings... what they need to come up with is a toy that would make dusting, scrubbing toilets, or doing the damn dishes more enjoyable!

Lori Lancaster | January 31, 2005
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Jackie Mason | January 31, 2005
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Kris Weberg | January 31, 2005
I remember the fake-vac toy from an episode of the Simpsons where Professor Frink gets drafted to teach kindergarten during a teacher's strike and won't let the kids use it because "You won't enjoy it on as many levels as I do, n'hey!"

And not even "boob?" I mean, that word has a non-dirty meaning, if an insulting one.

Amy Austin | January 31, 2005
"I thought thats what dishwashers were for Amy "

Kids, dishwashers... it's all the same. However, some parents (like mine!) have one and not the other. But I meant "fun", not just "convenient" ;>

And besides, what exactly am I supposed to do when the dishwasher breaks or I don't have one (although we definitely prefer to try to find one with the rental!)... I don't have kids!

Dave Stoppenhagen | January 31, 2005
My nephew (15 months) has a Home Depot shop vac that he "uses" to help my mom clean the floor, and it really does pick up some dirt.. But as soon as mom breaks out the real thing he ditches his and goes for the real deal.

Lori Lancaster | January 31, 2005
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