$800 strollers, Gymboree and the bamboozle that is Baby Einstein

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Also when we were kids- we used to have a great time loose in the back of the station wagon when the parents were driving. Good times!

My parents were boring and made me wear the seatbelt. However, when my best friend's mom drove us anywhere we went wild in the back seat. No wonder my parents wouldn't let me go with her to Cedar Pointe

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Also when we were kids- we used to have a great time loose in the back of the station wagon when the parents were driving. Good times!

My parents were boring and made me wear the seatbelt. However, when my best friend's mom drove us anywhere we went wild in the back seat. No wonder my parents wouldn't let me go with her to Cedar Pointe

I remember riding in the back of an open bed pick-up without so much as a gasp from anyone. I can see now the potential danger of it but I also can see us going too far with legislating safety for everything.

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

American parents are idiots.

Those the least qualified to breed, breed the most.

Just another part of the "Kids are EVERYthing" culture.

It's like you buy a baby, and then you get to buy cool accessories for it. Just like rat-dogs and cheesy sweaters...can't have just a dog. Gotta have a dog with a wardrobe. What a bunch of morons. Yet we complain about $3.50/gallon gas.....

f##k American parents.

live with your guilt.

What guilt? What are you even talking about?

yay platy is back!

[Peikko 1,575]

So, is the consensus that wearing seat belts is stupid now?

What kind of freedom is that if you don't wear one? I mean seriously, it's not like there's somewhere to go if you aren't wearing one, it's not like you could stride around the car and do an excercise routine or something, if only you weren't wearing a seat belt. All the studies that have been done prove conclusively that on most occaisons if one is in an accident wearing a seat belt will either save your life or seriously reduce the severity of your injuries or prevent you from killing or injuring someone else by stopping you fly into the front of the car and you would rather things were the same in the days when no one wore them?

I think the reason it was legislated for was because too many people seemed to think that seat belts were for sissies and didn't take wearing them seriously so the injuries kept increasing and increasing - ever more so as cars were faster and the growth in car ownership increased the likelyhood of having an accident. Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

you're not tried wearing a hip holster with a seatbelt lately have you?

[Amby 490]

I watch my cousin who is now 19 months all week and she has tons of toys but finds joy in the stuff we come up with ourselves. Last week we put a thin piece of wood at and angle and made it into a slide for all of her toys. She was screaming with excitement and laughing hysterically every time she dropped a ball or stuffed animal down it.

[Peikko 1,575]

Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

you're not tried wearing a hip holster with a seatbelt lately have you?

Why no Charles, I haven't, how observant of you. If you feel that wearing a seat belt restricts your freedom to exercise you right to carry concealed, then I suggest you talk to your local law enforcement officers and find a solution.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I can't imagine how my parents raised us without such fancy, state-of-the-art gadgets.

like seatbelts?

Are you suggesting that if you had children today you would not insist they wore seat belts, or placed them in a baby seat?

Just curious.

How did you come to THAT conclusion? Seriously. What is your thought process?

I have always wore a seatbelt since I learned to drive. Always. My kids will to. Different times.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I seem to recall seatbelt laws coming into place some time in the late 70s - in Michigan anyway

I don't think anyone is suggesting they represent the neurotic parenting of the present day

[Peikko 1,575]

Very simple, the article is about parent's being pressued into buying state of the art gadgets because they are touted as being esssnetial to the health and welfare - or at the very least necessary to give the baby/child the best start in life when in fact for the most part this is simply untrue, they are not necessary. You posed your question about seatbelts in that context - "how did parents raise us without fancy gadgets? Like seatbelts?" It's not exatly a jump to think that your proposition is that seatbelts are as unecessary as these other fancy gizmos hence my question.

I am very pleased to hear that in fact you consider wearing seatbelts to be a good thing, but now begs the question, why did you ask 'like seatbelts'?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Very simple, the article is about parent's being pressued into buying state of the art gadgets because they are touted as being esssnetial to the health and welfare - or at the very least necessary to give the baby/child the best start in life when in fact for the most part this is simply untrue, they are not necessary. You posed your question about seatbelts in that context - "how did parents raise us without fancy gadgets? Like seatbelts?" It's not exatly a jump to think that your proposition is that seatbelts are as unecessary as these other fancy gizmos hence my question.

I am very pleased to hear that in fact you consider wearing seatbelts to be a good thing, but now begs the question, why did you ask 'like seatbelts'?

Sarcasm[A] is stating the opposite of an intended meaning especially in order to sneeringly, slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing. It is strongly associated with irony, with some definitions classifying it as a type of verbal irony intended to insult or wound.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] An example of sarcasm is using "that's fantastic" to mean "that's awful".

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

you're not tried wearing a hip holster with a seatbelt lately have you?

Why no Charles, I haven't, how observant of you. If you feel that wearing a seat belt restricts your freedom to exercise you right to carry concealed, then I suggest you talk to your local law enforcement officers and find a solution.

they'd just suggest an armpit holster, which i don't like nor are they safe.

[KJandSH 0]

The original article is good and thought provoking.

She should look into some of the stuff marketed for twins. Ridiculous!

I've heard people say 'kids like the box more than the toy that came inside it' so many times that I expected it. I try to buy our toys second hand if possible. I check out books from the library rather than buying them. When people have asked me what our daughters favorite toys are, I always reply that they have no favorite toy. Their favorites are whatever we are doing with them. And they love to go out and see the world with us more than sitting at home in front of their toys. One advantage we have with twins is that our girls always have a playmate if we need to be doing stuff around the house.

But it's good to read articles like this from time to time because their are so many marketing forces which try to make you believe that you need to buy the latest and greatest for your kids.

Kristi

[Peikko 1,575]

Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

you're not tried wearing a hip holster with a seatbelt lately have you?

Why no Charles, I haven't, how observant of you. If you feel that wearing a seat belt restricts your freedom to exercise you right to carry concealed, then I suggest you talk to your local law enforcement officers and find a solution.

they'd just suggest an armpit holster, which i don't like nor are they safe.

I don't know whether not wearing seat belts is legal in your state. If it is, then you can clearly ignore the probablities and not wear your seat belt in order to be able to continue wearing your weapon. If you do live in a state where you are breaking the law then you will either have to actually do what is advised and wear the seat belt or take your chances breaking the law.

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

Mandatory seat belt wearing is a great law and doesn't infringe on one's freedom one iota in real terms.

you're not tried wearing a hip holster with a seatbelt lately have you?

Why no Charles, I haven't, how observant of you. If you feel that wearing a seat belt restricts your freedom to exercise you right to carry concealed, then I suggest you talk to your local law enforcement officers and find a solution.

they'd just suggest an armpit holster, which i don't like nor are they safe.

I don't know whether not wearing seat belts is legal in your state. If it is, then you can clearly ignore the probablities and not wear your seat belt in order to be able to continue wearing your weapon. If you do live in a state where you are breaking the law then you will either have to actually do what is advised and wear the seat belt or take your chances breaking the law.

i'm aware of that, thanks anyways.