SpectralMeat wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 22:13:

Prez wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 20:16:
I never got the whole voice-activated thing. I mean, unless you are handicapped in some way - like you are blind or have no hands - why can't you just type the shit out or hit a couple of buttons instead of sounding like an idiot trying to get whatever device it is to process what you are saying? Seems like a gimmicky techno weenie fad to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGxKhUuZ0Rc

Prez wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 20:16:
I never got the whole voice-activated thing. I mean, unless you are handicapped in some way - like you are blind or have no hands - why can't you just type the shit out or hit a couple of buttons instead of sounding like an idiot trying to get whatever device it is to process what you are saying? Seems like a gimmicky techno weenie fad to me.

Prez wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 20:16:
I never got the whole voice-activated thing. I mean, unless you are handicapped in some way - like you are blind or have no hands - why can't you just type the shit out or hit a couple of buttons instead of sounding like an idiot trying to get whatever device it is to process what you are saying? Seems like a gimmicky techno weenie fad to me.

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 12:43:
I still think parenting should require a mandatory exam. Like the driver exam.

Alamar wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 15:55:
Punishing a 2-4 year old for something they did, 5 hours after the incident, screams bad parenting (to me),

-Alamar

Verno wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 15:39:

I disagree. Unless there is something seriously medically wrong with a child than no. For a normal kid all you have to do is apply operant behavior techniques, same as dogs

You can't sum up parenting into a single sentence likened to training animals but whatever, I think it's obvious at this point that our ideas of parenting are divergent. Good luck with that approach I guess

Verno wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 13:40:
Is kids using electronic devices uniformly considered a bad thing?

Parenting is evolving with your child (and yourself, as many young parents grow up, in different ways, with their kids - which I'm sure someone would like to take out of context and exaggerate : )...

SpectralMeat wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 14:05:

wtf_man wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 13:55:
So, IMO electronics are only bad if you are using them as a babysitter or pacifier. I think they are wonderful as a reward. But that could go for just about anything, not just electronics. It depends on what the child is interested in... holding back the "most interesting item" as the reward item.

EDIT: Oh, and a big mistake I see many parents make... one has to stick with what they said. If the child didn't do as they were told... you don't just give them the iPad anyway. As a matter of fact I wouldn't let them play with it for the whole day. One needs to reinforce "I mean what I say, and you will obey".

+1 on that, that is exactly what me and my wife trying to do with the electronics.
As for stick what we say, this past weekend we went to an air show and the kids didn't listen to us, so we've promised them there will be time out when we get home, sure enough there was and they were crying and everything but we did stick to what we said.
It is tough most of the time because people generally love their kids and tend to be soft with them but it will bite back hard.

eRe4s3r wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 12:43:
I still think parenting should require a mandatory exam. Like the driver exam. Parenting is one of the most vital things for humanity as a whole, and lot's of parents (just like lot's of dog owners) completely SUCK at it. Heck I took a 6 week session with professional dog trainers and I think that should be mandatory for every pregnant women and future father in the world. Heck, have the gov pay it for them, as long as they pass it they can have kids. If they fail, the kid gets taken off to foster homes until at least 1 of the parents passes.

I guess that is very insane to even consider nowadays, but I honestly believe it would lead to a better world. A much.. much.. less noisy world too.

And by the way.. Even if not mandatory and even if you disagree to my proposed method.. I think the state should at least teach parenting somehow...

Did anyone ever notice how there is this weird taboo whenever it comes to parenting and how most people suck at it? It's a topic I *never* have seen in media, at ALL. Even if cases of gross negligance come to light, it's always the fault of the mother/father but never the fault of the society that does not TEACH parenting. ... gah

jdreyer wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 15:40:

avianflu wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 12:49:
I am a non-parent but....

if I had a toddler and was going on a plane I would give them a kid-version of over-the-counter antihistamine and then they sleep for 4 hours. No hissy fit and no tantrums. Problem solved for all.

It's actually a common technique to give kids children's Benadryl right before the flight.

space captain wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 14:23:

either extreme produces bad results...

avianflu wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 12:49:
I am a non-parent but....

if I had a toddler and was going on a plane I would give them a kid-version of over-the-counter antihistamine and then they sleep for 4 hours. No hissy fit and no tantrums. Problem solved for all.

I disagree. Unless there is something seriously medically wrong with a child than no. For a normal kid all you have to do is apply operant behavior techniques, same as dogs

Verno wrote on Jun 4, 2012, 12:54:
Have some kids then we'll talk about it. It's really easy to armchair quarterback parenthood without having a grasp on the complexity involved. Vague childhood memories often don't take into account all of the early life lessons and acting out. I know because I did it for a long time too :)

I was like you three years ago before I met my GF and her daughter. All I can tell you is that it's a totally different thing than what you think it is and it's incredibly challenging. Discipline isn't a universal solution, in fact often times discipline can feed into attention seeking behavior and cause a child to develop a complex. The fact that you jumped on that told me you have no children because every kid is different. Some respond really well to discipline and some act out more and have to be manipulated/coaxed in a different way.

I get where you're coming from because for much of my life I passed judgment on others parenting. You see a video with an annoying child on a plane and assume shitty parent. Hey, maybe the parent is an idiot. Often times though you don't get the background and context, that's all I'm saying. It is a whole different ballgame in person, some kids are just bratty despite your best efforts and need to grow out of it. It's a guy thing to think that we can fix everything but some things just take time and patience. I say that as someone who is known for being pretty strict in our household by the way.