![]() |
That expression is a perfect replication! |
The big exception to that concern is when we go on roadtrips.
My childhood roadtrips were spent staring listlessly out the backseat window, reading books and, when all else failed, sleeping in an attempt to make time move more quickly. In short, I dreaded roadtrips.
My kids have an entirely different attitude. What's to dread when roadtrips are a chance to gorge on the newest video games and catch up on movies? The portability of electronic devices has turned roadtrips into a no-holds barred screentime orgy...at least that's the way it plays out in my car.
Child #2 loves video games the way Paris Hilton loves photographers. Before our recent roadtrip to Yosemite he assured us he was more than capable of overseeing the charging necessary to make sure his gaming devices were shipshape and car ready.
My husband and I made the rookie mistake of taking him at his word.
A hundred miles into our trip a panicked wail rose up from the backseat. "My DS is on RED."
This information was followed by broken hearted sobbing, the kind of tears you might envision someone crying if their childhood pet had died. But no, the only thing in danger of dying was a small red handheld gaming device.
![]() |
These aren't my kids but you get the idea! |
"Let's play car games or sing," I suggested. The wailing from the backseat increased several decibels.
"I guess you've learned your lesson," my husband said in the direction of the backseat. Then he asked me more quietly, "How long do you think he can cry?"
I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Looks like we're going to find out."
It turns out Child #2 had a lot of tears to cry over his DS deprivation. He cried, off and on, for the next hundred miles. By the time we crossed over the mountains and reached the first outpost of civilization in southern Oregon my husband was done.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we veered off a freeway exit at high speed.
"I can't take another hundred miles of that," he said. "I think it's time to buy an iPad."

In the unlikely event any CIA operatives follow this blog, I think I've hit on a humane, but equally effective, alternative to waterboarding.
Torture by the tears of a seven year old boy in a speeding vehicle. I'm certain it would be sufficient to bring even the most hardened terrorists to their knees.
In the end it turned out our unanticipated purchase of an iPad had an interesting side benefit. Namely, a large amount of videos taken that discuss Yosemite National Park without any footage of the actual park. I would post some of them...but I think maybe it's best to leave torture to the experts.