The Monsters I've Created

From October to December 23, all I heard from 9 year-old CTH is that he wanted a phone. Not any phone, an iPhone 4S. If you asked 6 year-old (soon-to-be 7) BBH what he wanted Santa to bring him . . . an iPad 2. How is it that they know the importance of the gadget's generation? Like I said before, I didn't even know there was an iPad 2 until recently.

I get why they want it. I, too, was spellbound by all the nifty functions and applications -- not to mention its extreme usefulness in keeping them occupied while I hammered out some details for my next PTA duty, whipped something up in the kitchen for dinner or perused the racks at Anthropologie. (They go directly to the tufted, leather couch and are planted to their screens. I could shop all day!) I only have myself to blame for giving them a taste of what they're missing.

So starts their addiction. My phone was a quagmire of Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, Monkeyball Banana Blitz, Fly Kiwi Fly. Finally, I grouped them together in a folder titled Kids Games. All I ever heard was "Can I play your phone? Can I play your phone?" And once I acquired the almighty tablet, "Can I play your iPad? Can I play your iPad?" Enough!

One day, this popped up on my phone . . .

And this takes the cake . . . Me and the big man had a close call with a text convo that was closely approaching the sexting territory -- on my end. But it wasn't the big man, it was the little man! Holy crap. Yes, my boys love their momma but there is no Oedipus Complex going on here!

Oedipus at Colonus by Jean-Antoine-Theodore Giroust

Enough, enough, enough! Christmas rolled around and CTH got the next best thing -- an iPod Touch. You would think we superglued it to his hand. I hear the infamous "glass" incoming text sound early every weekend morning. His cousin, Grace, got one too. Lordy, what's going to happen when they are actual teenagers?

Now I just have one insistent little voice, "Can I play your iPad? Can I play your iPad?" At least I have my phone back.

I have to give credit where credit is due: I found the witch/apple art on freshpics.blogspot.com which linked to etsy. I couldn't find the actual storefront but they create very cool skins for your laptop.