It's a Brave New World

[angus63]

I am at my son's tryouts for the school baseball team (52 degrees F - glad I'm not hitting - ouch). My internet provider put up wifi sites all over Long Island, so now I can bring my laptop to my kids' practices and get some work done or just peruse the forums. I wonder if I'll have service out in the bay flounder fishing tomorrow? Gotta love technology. When my present contract is up, gonna step up to an iphone and give that a whirl. The mom down the bench from me is taking pics of the team and emailing them to me on her iphone. Excellent quality!!

 

[DJ]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Angus, Angus, Angus.

Give it a rest. Enjoy those things you are supposed to without an electronic leash.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Yea really, you shouldn't have to see the practice THAT YOU ARE ATTENDING from emailed photos from someone else there. Look up and watch your kid. He won't be a kid forever. Close the laptop and be a dad, man.

 

[angus63]

Re: It's a Brave New World

62 kids are trying out for 18 spots on the school team. In three hours my son batted twice and played two innings in the field. The rest of the time I prepared a test for next week at school. He also plays on the town team and practices twice a week for two hours each. He is also on a spring flag football team. My daughter is on the school soccer team and the town basketball team. I average about 12 hours a week at games and practices between the two . I am also the faculty advisor for two teams at the Academy so I spend even more time on the bench observing there. I wish I could give it a rest!!! In order to spend so much time "on the field", sometimes I have to take my work with me. I also write letters of recommendation, grade papers, do bills, etc... Technology makes it so I can multitask while being where I belong, with the kids! Without it I'd be behind the desk instead of on the bleachers. Sunday I'm fishing in the morning with my boy and then off to the town Littlte league parade. Even God rested on the seventh day, so I'll leave the phone and laptop home!

 

[angus63]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Yea really, you shouldn't have to see the practice THAT YOU ARE ATTENDING from emailed photos from someone else there. Look up and watch your kid. He won't be a kid forever. Close the laptop and be a dad, man.

I was simply checking out the quality of the iphones pics after mentioning to her my interest in getting one. My committment and devotion as a father is not yours to question. All I was conveying is that technology gets me out from behind the desk and allows me to accomplish tasks while I have idle time wherever I may be.

 

[angus63]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Three flounder wrestled from the mud. Off to the parade...I'll send you some pics via email!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Angus, Angus, Angus.

Give it a rest. Enjoy those things you are supposed to without an electronic leash.

Ah yes !!!! The electronic manacle. One of the bad things technology has given us !!!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: It's a Brave New World

my major point of going some where is to get away from all of that. i don't have a wifi computer, my cell is capable, but not connected. and sometimes it is turned OFF, they can leave a message if it is important. i remember before rude-waiting, and voicemail, we got along just fine. people actually called you back, if they missed you.

my first electronics was a beeper, just gave you the number to call. i got to hate it, as much as i hate my cell phone.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: It's a Brave New World

What is a "wifi computer?"

And I promise, if I saw a dad at his sons practice with a laptop computer I, and a bunch of people that I know, would question him as a father. Considering how many people lose custody of their children because of their lack of parenting (ok extreme example for someone who just brings a laptop to a practice but I have a point I'm trying to make) it IS other people's business what kind of dad you are. If you are a bad enough dad, you will lose your rights as a dad. So don't say it's not anyone's business because unfortunately it is.

But that's not the point of this thread. Lose the laptop, turn off the cell phone, and be a dad, not an e-dad, a REAL dad.

 

[angus63]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Optimum WiFi is like powerful wireless routers for IP subscribers

http://wifiservices.aitrk.optimum.com/online/wifi.jsp


Where some of you all may see this as a "manacle" or a leash, others like me see it as a limitless extension cord for my office. Instead of "I'll be late for dinner cause I have tests to grade" or "I can't make that game son, I have a paper to finish", I'm not strapped to my workplace like only a few years ago. I can access my work server and limitless resources anywhere which is critical for my current profession. Most times the majority of my work day starts when classes end, which used to keep me from my kids afterschool activities. That was the point of my thread.

Defining "real" parenting is purely subjective. As long as a parent isn't abusive or neglectful, what others may conclude from snapshot observation is meaningless to me.

Is the parent who watches their child's practice with great interest and then smacks the child on the ride home for striking out and having 2 errors so they'll "improve" a real parent?

From first hand experience, is a Mom who reads the newspaper at her son's flagfootball game when he is not in the game because she has no interest in football and doesn't understand the game a poor parent? I know she is an extremely busy single Mom who makes time for her kid, praises her child's accomplishments, and provides a shoulder when he doesn't achieve his goals. Is she not a real parent?

My sister in law feels it's important to give her kids a long leash to do as they please as long as they don't get in trouble. I think it's important to provide structure and discipline so I don't allow my kids to play video games or watch TV prior to 7PM. I want them to read or participate in a club or sport. She allows them to do what they please during that time. Some view me as a Draconian, jackbooted dictator. Some view her as a liberal hippie freak. Are either of us not "real" parents?

I did spend some time at my kid's practice Sat morn finishing up some work and checking out the forum while he was on the bench or participating in drills. This allowed me the time to sit down to dinner with the family and enjoy a movie with them afterwards (2012- really cool!) and also go fishing with my boy and attend his parade and the second half of my daughter's soccer game on Sunday. Am I not a "real" parent?

I'll get off my soapbox now that I've over-emphasized my dislike of labeling.


By the way... I'm writing this while watching my five month lab puppy frolic on the beach. Love this new technology!!! I used to go to the public library to get out of the house and do some research/studying. I think I found a new spot to study this summer!!!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: It's a Brave New World

I hear you Angus and for your reasons it is without doubt a positive to have. From some other folk's side of things though it is an instant "call back to work" when required. Especially in any manufacturing industry if there is an issue that the shift can not handle and a truck is waiting to transport the parts that have not been made to the customer. These things happen while you are at the children's events and it does not go over well when you tell your employer that you will be there in a couple of hours when the event is finished and you have taken them home.
Just another side of things to consider.
Glad it works for you though.

 

[DJ]

Re: It's a Brave New World

Angus,

I understand your unique issues but your first post was a bit vague and opened it up for criticism. Me first.

I can understand the Blackberry, laptop, iPhone for all those down minutes when you can't do anything else. Completely understood.

Unfortuneately, most people see that as a bad thing. In many instances, they're 100% correct. There are a lot of people that completely abuse that ability. In others (yours), they are not.

It's all about balance. Unfortuneately, you are in the minority and will have to watch what you do or receive undue criticism.

 

[avenger79]

Re: It's a Brave New World

been to a few (few years worth) of those tryouts myself. it can become "boring" when your kid is not on the field. mine was into baseball, soccer, wrestling, and sometimes track. from 6 to 18 i can't say i wasn't happy in a way when it was over, it takes a lot of time.

actually sounds impressive all the things you can do now days with electronics.
my son has the iphone and loves it. before anyone jumps me for letting a child have an iphone he works as maint for an apt and runs his own handyman service on the side. LOL