Two of my favourite bloggy peeps are going head to head on CBC radio next week. Andrea from a peek inside the fishbowl and Chantal from Breadcrumbs in the Butter are going to duke it out over whether portable DVD players are mother’s little helper or the devil’s spawn.
Myself, I’ve got no problem with them. I think they’re a fabulous way to keep the kids entertained on an otherwise long and boring drive. For some reason, almost every drive we take is in the neighbourhood of five hours, and even watching two kid-sized movies in a five hour trip leaves lots of time for colouring, word games (we’re working our way up to twenty questions), scenery-gazing and poking your brother. My only complaint is that the DVD player hogs the cigarette lighter and I have to get a splitter so I can use my iPod transmitter while the kids are watching a movie.
What do you think? Better yet, give your pro-DVD arguments to Chantal, or your anti-DVD arguments to Andrea, and tell ’em Dani sent you!
I can tell you our portable DVD player was ‘mother’s GREAT BIG helper’ when my son, a few months ago, had to go for a renal scan x-ray. A renal scan is a special x-ray to see kidney function, and requires an IV with meds, as well as a catheter inserted into my son, during the entire procedure, oh yeah – and my son had to lie down still on the x-ray table for 30 minutes! So yeah, it was GREAT BIG HELP to be able to bring in some of his favourite DVD’s, like Mighty Machines and Blue’s Clues to help pass the time. We did other stuff, as well, like hugs, and kisses, and talking to him and reading books to him, but the DVD’s passed some time to. So I’m all for that. However, we have not used it since. I would bring it on a trip with us, say on the plane, or a long car ride. There is NOTHING wrong with that.
I can tell you our portable DVD player was ‘mother’s GREAT BIG helper’ when my son, a few months ago, had to go for a renal scan x-ray. A renal scan is a special x-ray to see kidney function, and requires an IV with meds, as well as a catheter inserted into my son, during the entire procedure, oh yeah – and my son had to lie down still on the x-ray table for 30 minutes! So yeah, it was GREAT BIG HELP to be able to bring in some of his favourite DVD’s, like Mighty Machines and Blue’s Clues to help pass the time. We did other stuff, as well, like hugs, and kisses, and talking to him and reading books to him, but the DVD’s passed some time to. So I’m all for that. However, we have not used it since. I would bring it on a trip with us, say on the plane, or a long car ride. There is NOTHING wrong with that.
For long car trips, I take a laptop which plays DVDs but for a flight, I would recommend an iPod with videos loaded. I have only the one kid so the iPod works. She prefers the iPod because she can control the angle of the screen – which can be a problem in the car with my shiny laptop screen. All things in moderation, eh? I’ll come up with something that stands as a rationale for one of the debaters, though.
For long car trips, I take a laptop which plays DVDs but for a flight, I would recommend an iPod with videos loaded. I have only the one kid so the iPod works. She prefers the iPod because she can control the angle of the screen – which can be a problem in the car with my shiny laptop screen. All things in moderation, eh? I’ll come up with something that stands as a rationale for one of the debaters, though.
I haven’t checked out the other blogs you mentioned, but I’ll put my two cents in here. I am a definite fan of them for road trips (about to get one for a 7 hr ride ourselves), however, I would truly try to discipline myself and use them only for that purpose. I see way too many situations where mom flips it on for a quick trip to Walmart.
I, of course have great memories of road trips in my youth, but I have no doubt that my mother’s memories of the trips would have been enhanced had that handy dandy contraption been available in the late 70’s.
I haven’t checked out the other blogs you mentioned, but I’ll put my two cents in here. I am a definite fan of them for road trips (about to get one for a 7 hr ride ourselves), however, I would truly try to discipline myself and use them only for that purpose. I see way too many situations where mom flips it on for a quick trip to Walmart.
I, of course have great memories of road trips in my youth, but I have no doubt that my mother’s memories of the trips would have been enhanced had that handy dandy contraption been available in the late 70’s.
I have two kid’s ages Ten and Nine. We regularly have to travel to California or Nevada which ranges between four and six hours. My niece brought a long her DVD player for one trip. The kids were quiet, there was no fighting, I was able to get work done, Hubby drove. I went out and bought one the next day for my children for their next car trip. I love it. Between movies we do still play the liscense plate game, talk to eachother etc. But it gives us adults some time to breath and pay attention to the road instead of who is fighting in the back seat.
I have two kid’s ages Ten and Nine. We regularly have to travel to California or Nevada which ranges between four and six hours. My niece brought a long her DVD player for one trip. The kids were quiet, there was no fighting, I was able to get work done, Hubby drove. I went out and bought one the next day for my children for their next car trip. I love it. Between movies we do still play the liscense plate game, talk to eachother etc. But it gives us adults some time to breath and pay attention to the road instead of who is fighting in the back seat.
I’ll steer clear of the DVD issue. My daughter loves to watch them in her Papa’s van, but we don’t have any sort of DVD player for her. If we were doing long trips, I’d think of it, but it sets up the same power dynamic you get about when she can and can’t watch TV.
That aside, I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Mother’s day. It is a nice day here, and my wife and I are going to lay on blankets outside and listen to folk music, but between that and grilling some steaks, I’m going to stop by at various Mommy Blogs and wish everyone on Happy Mother’s day.
I’ll steer clear of the DVD issue. My daughter loves to watch them in her Papa’s van, but we don’t have any sort of DVD player for her. If we were doing long trips, I’d think of it, but it sets up the same power dynamic you get about when she can and can’t watch TV.
That aside, I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Mother’s day. It is a nice day here, and my wife and I are going to lay on blankets outside and listen to folk music, but between that and grilling some steaks, I’m going to stop by at various Mommy Blogs and wish everyone on Happy Mother’s day.
This response is all about ME. 😉
Well I think they are ok if you can’t see them from another vechile but if you can I HATE THEM. I don’t know HOW many times I have been driving at Night and the GLARE is coming from the back seat of the car in front of me. They have these dvd players hanging from the ceiling and I can see the Berenstain Bears as clear as day playing away in front of me. DO you know how distracting that is to me when driving? I swear to go I’m going to hit someone playing those things becasue I’m watching it not the traffic. They are birghter than the vechiles back brake lights. OK I should keep my eyes on the road but you try not to watch a BRIGHT light coming at you in the dark . What do you think your gonna Watch?
I used think Oh they’d be so wonderful for long trips and I think you remember way back when I dicussed this with a fe wof you, But my Hubby absolutely refuse to get one on our trip to Winnipeg a few years back and you know it wasn’t a bad trip at all. Nathan was 3 at the time. He loved seeing what was out there. He was a great little traveler and that’s 3 – 8 hour days in a car.
SO I guess I’m not really for them especially if I can see them from behind. and distract other drivers…Cause your the one that may be hit.
This response is all about ME. 😉
Well I think they are ok if you can’t see them from another vechile but if you can I HATE THEM. I don’t know HOW many times I have been driving at Night and the GLARE is coming from the back seat of the car in front of me. They have these dvd players hanging from the ceiling and I can see the Berenstain Bears as clear as day playing away in front of me. DO you know how distracting that is to me when driving? I swear to go I’m going to hit someone playing those things becasue I’m watching it not the traffic. They are birghter than the vechiles back brake lights. OK I should keep my eyes on the road but you try not to watch a BRIGHT light coming at you in the dark . What do you think your gonna Watch?
I used think Oh they’d be so wonderful for long trips and I think you remember way back when I dicussed this with a fe wof you, But my Hubby absolutely refuse to get one on our trip to Winnipeg a few years back and you know it wasn’t a bad trip at all. Nathan was 3 at the time. He loved seeing what was out there. He was a great little traveler and that’s 3 – 8 hour days in a car.
SO I guess I’m not really for them especially if I can see them from behind. and distract other drivers…Cause your the one that may be hit.
Throughout the 70s and 80s… my parents would pile us four kids (no more than 2yrs apart each) into our family station wagon for lots of road-trips… and yeah, we looked out the window, sang songs, played games, listened to the radio (and walkmans when the 80s arrived), read and slept. And yeah, we all survived. And yeah, my parents will recollect wistfully that we were “good travellers” – I’m sure we were – and that “we didn’t need any movies” to keep us happy.
But you know what? If portable VCRs or DVD players HAD existed back then I’d bet my boots they would have had one. Even with the rose-coloured glasses of nostalgic restrospection, there is no denying the amount of constant entertaining (“Down By the Bay…”), the refereeing (she’s on MY side! he’s breathing on ME!), the negotiating for radio stations.. the BOREDOM… aaagh! I remember my cousins relaying how my uncle stopped on the SIDE OF THE 401 and scared them into submission by threatening to leave them on the side of the road. Sound familiar?
This is not to say it was all bad since I do have a longstanding love-affair with road trips, but there are *times* when it’s just lovely for everyone to CHILL OUT, relax and watch something age-appropriate whilst the grownups chat or listen to music.
We have a removable unit which we use for drives from OTT to TO and sometimes to the Big Rideau Lake. I just find that it – like anything in moderation – is often just the thing.
I wonder if our grandparents balked at the *gasp!* thought of RADIOS being installed in vehicles! The Horror!
Throughout the 70s and 80s… my parents would pile us four kids (no more than 2yrs apart each) into our family station wagon for lots of road-trips… and yeah, we looked out the window, sang songs, played games, listened to the radio (and walkmans when the 80s arrived), read and slept. And yeah, we all survived. And yeah, my parents will recollect wistfully that we were “good travellers” – I’m sure we were – and that “we didn’t need any movies” to keep us happy.
But you know what? If portable VCRs or DVD players HAD existed back then I’d bet my boots they would have had one. Even with the rose-coloured glasses of nostalgic restrospection, there is no denying the amount of constant entertaining (“Down By the Bay…”), the refereeing (she’s on MY side! he’s breathing on ME!), the negotiating for radio stations.. the BOREDOM… aaagh! I remember my cousins relaying how my uncle stopped on the SIDE OF THE 401 and scared them into submission by threatening to leave them on the side of the road. Sound familiar?
This is not to say it was all bad since I do have a longstanding love-affair with road trips, but there are *times* when it’s just lovely for everyone to CHILL OUT, relax and watch something age-appropriate whilst the grownups chat or listen to music.
We have a removable unit which we use for drives from OTT to TO and sometimes to the Big Rideau Lake. I just find that it – like anything in moderation – is often just the thing.
I wonder if our grandparents balked at the *gasp!* thought of RADIOS being installed in vehicles! The Horror!
Seeing a family out for dinner with a portable DVD smack in the middle of the restaurant’s table, was not a site I was impressed with. I am not a fan……
Seeing a family out for dinner with a portable DVD smack in the middle of the restaurant’s table, was not a site I was impressed with. I am not a fan……