It's time once again to praise the parenting gods for headphones

[LeftyMom]

LeftyKid's watching some Sesame Street alphabet video. Big Bird and Baby Bear are singing some alphabet song. I put the ipod on, cranked it way up (I've already got a hearing problem, so what difference is it going to make?) and voila, mo more kiddie music. :D

[miss_american_pie]

1. Baby Bear's voice

makes me want to shove an ice pick into my eardrums.

Enjoy the adult music.

[LeftyMom]

2. Baby Bear jsut might be more annoying than Elmo

What the heck happened to Kermit? Bert and Ernie?

Sesame Street was way smarter and less annoying when I was a kid. I ought to go get my vinyl Sesame Street albums (yeah, I still have 'em) from my Dad's before LeftyKid catches bad taste from this new travesty.

[miss_american_pie]

7. Seriously!

What is up with Journey to Ernie?

And didn't they used to do two letters and a number? Or a letter and two numbers?

Do you have the disco one with Grover in the white pantsuit?

[LeftyMom]

9. I think I do have the disco one.

Journey to Ernie isn't quite Elmo annoying, but I don't like the greater degree of repition in the newer episodes of Sesame Street. I understand the move toward a slower pace and a more consistent routine (I don't agree with it, just because I don't like the idea of a bunch of theory-minded kiddie shrinks tinkering with something that did work) but stuff like Journey to Ernie, Super Grover and Elmos's World seems much less educational than the previous skits did (in addition to being really annoying.)

Really I find most of the current crop of PBS kids stuff really umipressive. I like Between the Lions- I think it's really witty and fun while still being dense with educational stuff but most of the rest (Caillou is a good example) seems more geared toward irritating adults than entertaining or teaching kids.

Thankfully we've got Noggin and lately they seem to be balancing the routine and pacing needs of kids with the educational stuff much better than PBS (and Discovery Kids is doing some pretty impressive stuff for kids a bit older than LeftyKid,) but not every family can afford that.

[mwooldri]

3. Ever thought of putting the headphones on your child?

My son saw my wife with the headphones on. He then wanted them on too. So guess who gets to use the computer as a glorified DVD player from time to time?

Yep.



Him. (on his 2nd birthday).

[LeftyMom]

10. I would but

he's not so great about sitting still.

Your son's a cutie by the way. Here's LK at about that age:

[Pithlet]

4. Yep

They're great. I didn't think I'd like the earpods, but I love them because they don't block out every sound, but enough so it isn't distracting.

[LeftyMom]

5. I need to get new headphones though

The stock ipod headphones hurt my ears and the bass *sucks.*

[Pithlet]

12. It doesn't help the bass

but when I put those little foam thingies it came with on them, it helped with my ears. They hurt until I tried those.

[LeftyMom]

14. Oddly mine seems to hurt less without

I think I just need a more ear-shaped pair. Tte roundness is cute, but really painful to have in for more than a few minutes.

[Ellen Forradalom]

6. Also, the commuting gods

So you don't have to listen to the bride-to-be plan her wedding on the train.

[LeftyMom]

11. Thankfully I don't have to brave public transit anymore

I get really nauseated by the noise and the closed up smell on busses and commuter trains so that was pure hell. I work from home now.

[ContraBass Black]

8. I bought my best friend a pair of sound deadening earmuffs

So she could drown out her roommate with her iPod and not destroy her ears.

[LeftyMom]

13. That may not be a bad idea.

I need new earbuds for riding my bike (on dedicated trails and paths, I'm smart enough not to use 'em on the road) and such but around the house a nice pair of over-the ear headphones might be a wise investment.

Thanks!