Sunday, November 29, 2009

Mancub vs. Technology.....let the battle begin!

It ceases to amaze me how quickly technology changes. As soon as I make an electronics or gadget purchase something else comes out the next day to replace it. Or in the case of Apple's technology, the next generation of ipod, iphone, imac, or iwhatever is available for upgrade the day after you buy the earlier version. Regardless, I love the fact that I can keep every bit of music on my ipod and I can watch movies, downloaded to my ipod, on my 42 inch 1080i HD LCD. Yet, with all these improvements and/or upgrades over the years, a few things may always remain the same. "Like what?", you may ask. Hmmmm....like little mancubs' lack of understanding of just how important technology is. Or protecting these small technological wonders from the likes of my 2 year old and the youngest of the Lawson mancubs, Jacob.

Recently, mancub #4 decided to test the boyuantcy of my iPod by flushing it down the toilet in the guest bathroom. I know this because it was recovered and looked like something stuck in the Titanic. I felt as if part of my soul was flushed.....which is both sad and pathetic. After mastering the "sea", Jacob was ready to test the "air". What best to test flight than the remote control to the LCD? It flew, but the flight pattern was immediately interrupted by the 42 inch 1080i HD LCD. The report came to me via a cell phone conversation with mancub #3 as I was driving home. Luke was relieved that it wasn't him that destroyed my idol. I was pissed (I do not apologize for using the word because it's MUCH less offensive than the combination of obscentities I thought and spoke while driving home). Has mancub # 4 have no shame? Oh sure, he's only two, but C'MON! Can he not understand and appreciate the cost of such important innovations? Jacob had now yanked the technology dependence/obession IV right out of my arm. I thought about all the ways I could discipline him. I fantasized about sitting around the table with the family as I led a blame storming session. "Keri, aren't you supposed to be watching him?" "Hey oldermancubs.....why aren't YOU protecting the TV from #4? Don't you realize there will be no more Sponge Bob Squarepants?"

I arrived home ready to pounce. As I put the car in park, the front door busted open and Jacob came running out. Whatever was important to Jacob at the time just got bumped to second fiddle when he heard the car pull up. I could see his mouth saying, "Daaaaady." His smile stretched so far that it ran out of room on his face. I opened the car door and he extended his arms saying, "Daaaady. Daaaady. Daaaady hooome". Instantly, my anger got bumped to second fiddle. I reached down and picked him up and he hugged my neck. As he pulled away from my shoulder he looked me in the eyes and said, "My Daaaaady". There was no guilt on his part. He wasn't loving on me because he thought he was in trouble. Jacob was clueless of the importance of an iPod or TV. His priority was me. I smiled. "My Jacob", I said.

My teachable moment was a painful one. I'm not excusing Jacob's behavior. Yes, I do need to continue to teach him what's appropriate and not appropriate. However, all of this raised a deeper issue in me. Was I really mad because Jacob destroyed my iPod and LCD? Or was the love affair and obsession with my technological wonders so deep that it hurt to lose them? Tough question. If I'm honest, I think it was more of the latter. I don't feel led to throw every possession away or anything like that. I will; however, be more aware of how much importance I place on things that in the end I can live without.

And........I'll make sure my stuff is picked up off the floor ;)

3 comments:

  1. Greg, so are you going to take the cost of the ipod and LCD out of Jacob's college fund? - Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  2. Uhmm... sniff... something in my eye....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Time for 1080p anyway...

    ReplyDelete