Guest Blogger: lisleman

I first "met" lisleman thanks to Mrs4444. She had posted in a Friday Fragment about this guy doing a non-blog. It was a one entry blog and the idea was that the conversation could go on forever in the comments. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a flash in the pan. I did comment but have to confess I didn't keep engaging. However, lisleman began visiting Eternal Lizdom and I discovered his main blog, a few clowns short. He's an experienced dad, a grandpa, and has a lot of the same science-geek type interests as my husband. He's also pretty dang funny in his observations and thoughts. Show him some love with lots of comments and by following his blog!

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Hmm, just a minute while I get use to these new surroundings here at Eternal Lizdom. I’ve been here before but my words have only found their way into the comment section. It’s cool to share my words and ideas up here in a post. Thanks Liz. Are kids today different than my kids were 20 plus years ago? Or different than when I was I kid X years ago (lets just leave that as a big number)? Just because I have no qualifications other than being a dad, that is not going to stop me from providing an answer. Of course, please share your answer in the comment section. Oh just a minute, thinking of babies reminded my of a Steven Wright quote:

"Babies don't need a vacation, but I still see them at the beach... it pisses me off! I'll go over to a little baby and say 'What are you doing here? You haven't worked a day in your life!’”

My answer - kids start out the same but their parents are different from the past and also is the world around them. Not earth shattering news and please read on after you recover from your shock of reading that news flash. This might be old knowledge but it’s worth thinking about as a parent (at least during times you’ll able to think). I believe if you could time travel, adopt a baby from thousands of years ago (that would alter history and I might be President right now so watch it) and raise the baby in today’s world, the baby would become a teen and you would worry and still be pulling your hair out.

Those were the days

Those days of years gone past are overrated. It’s a fact that we live longer today. I just read that traffic fatalities are down in the US. Not everything is better. Never is. Stress might be higher but based on a Rolling Stone’s song, “Mother’s Little Helper” (released 1966) it was stressful back in the 60’s.

"...Kids are different today, I hear ev'ry mother say

Mother needs something today to calm her down

And though she's not really ill, there's a little yellow pill

She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper

And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day..."

Those annoying drug ads on TV might be more fun if they used that song as background music. My mother was not a blogger because had she been she would have been so futuristic that people would have been talking about her. She would have not liked the media attention. Some of you reading this are parents and bloggers. As long as there is a balance of the quality time with your kids and your blog time this is probably a good thing. Blogging could make you feel more relaxed, recognized, knowledgeable, helpful, etc. Just don't let it stress you. Being a parent is an important duty that is essential for advancing our world. Don't screw it up. However, know that it's been done billions of times before. Some good advice - use sunscreen on yourself and kids. Want to learn more about the sunscreen advice? Check out this column from 1997. I just have one more advice type of observation. DVD players in cars are not really necessary. It’s much better to interact with your kids, have conversations, or play games with your kids while you travel the world. Just the other day, my granddaughter (2) point out how pretty the clouds were outside. Now that would not of happened if she had her eyes glued to Sponge Bob Square Pants and his cartoon world. Really it's a fact that kids have been driven thousands of miles without a DVD player. Just interacting with music is great and it can get them to sing along.