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November 17, 2006 Frances Friday: Can I do some typing now? 
I picked up Frances at the daycare Thursday. "Mommy!" she said, and rushed at me for a hug. "Mommy!" She turned to the class, as I picked her up, and shouted, "This is my Mommy!" I beamed. It was insufferable, but oh how sweet, to have her so publically (and so loudly) declare her affection for me? "Are you going to say bye to your friends, Frances?" I asked. "Bye bye!" she said, and just as we were about to head out the door, "This is my MOMMY!" With a big hug, a snuggle, and a happy sigh. ~~~~~ One of the things I loved about this week's WholeMom was Marla's comic. (I'll wait while you click through to read it. Go ahead. You'll like it.) I always love Marla's comics. She's more gifted (in this and other things) than she gives herself credit for. But this week's was particularly appropriate, as I have been battling Frances nightly for the laptop now for some weeks. Or I'd say I've been battling her, except I've lost. "Can I do some typing now?" she asks. "Not yet, baby. I'm still reading my emails. In a few minutes, ok?" "Can I do some typing now, please?" she asks. And what's a mother to do? How can I not reward such polite asking? "OK. Just let me finish this. Just a second. Frances, I can't see the monitor when you sit like that, and then how am I supposed to finish typing? Sit there. Good. Now wait--just a second--no, not yet! Yes, that's a very nice letter F, it's just not where I wanted it. No! Don't press that button! Or that one! I'm almost done. Just ... hold ... on. OK. Done." I call up the notepad program and put it on caps lock so Frances will recognize all of the letters, put the laptop on the floor so I don't need to worry about it falling, and then I ... leave. Yes. I leave. Frances has the laptop, my precious new laptop, all to herself. For typing capital letters in Notepad, and for five minutes or so it will be all her heart desires. Then she will ask if she can watch the Elmo video, and I'll call up the Sesame Street website and let her pick a game to play. And then I'll leave again. I know she's not even three yet. And how amazing is that? I still remember the Vic20 my parents got when I was in grade school, and here's Frances using a laptop computer, all by herself, not yet three! This is largely a generational thing, yet I can't help but see a special giftedness in her ability to manipulate the mouse-touchpad-thingie (note my prowess with technical language) with such precision. Most adults I know become hamfisted around those finicky little things. And she's entirely trustworthy. She doesn't hit it, kick it, spit on it, sit on it, shove it, maul it or in any way cause me any worry for either her or the machine. She just types. The other day when I asked her to turn it off, we'd played enough with the computer that day ... she did. By herself. I never taught her that. Any day now she'll be giving me lessons in the large and ever-changing collection of TV remotes that Erik has bought for particular tv-related purposes. I know which one turns it on and off, and which changes the channel, and how to turn the volume down. Don't ask me to put on a DVD, though, and soon I won't have to, because Frances will. We're having her birthday party early this year. Erik's parents are coming into town the weekend of the 25th, and we thought it's close enough and it's the only opportunity we'll ever have to get them to her birthday party and this way it can be her special day instead of being lost in Christmas, so what the hell. Her party is the 25th, almost a month early. A kid's laptop computer is waiting for her in the master bedroom closet. It has a full keyboard and a little mouse-like thingie and a small screen on which small children can play games. I bought it three weeks ago. I think she's outgrown it already. Posted by Andrea at November 17, 2006 7:31 AM under Frances Friday EMAIL this entry (comments fields are below this section) Comments I just want to gobble her up! Happy early birthday, Frances!!!! Posted by: liz at November 17, 2006 9:26 AM
What a perfect gift. She will love it. And I'm so excited for her to be celebrating early - My birthday is being celebrated that weekend as well, even though I am a dec. 25 baby. It's nice to get to experience having an early day all to yourself that you're not sharing with other holiday-themed events. Have fun! Posted by: suze at November 17, 2006 10:22 AM
hey, is the laptop you bought a vtech? i think i bought the same one for peanutbutter! Posted by: PeanutButtersMum at November 17, 2006 11:03 AM
If you have a receipt can you return it and buy a version for an older child? She's just soooo smart! I can't wait until she brings home her first report card. Of course it will say A++. Posted by: LauraJ at November 17, 2006 11:21 AM
Genius. Purely genius. And can I say I am continually amazed by your quiet child. I leave my kids alone sometimes (at the moment they're alone in the bedroom while I'm in the study) but the instant I hear 5 seconds of silence I dash over there to find out what they've done... Always something interesting from a learning perspective but never anything good for my belongings. Now see. Blake just brought me a sheet. From the bed. Think I can teach him to put it back on? More later... Posted by: Jennifer at November 17, 2006 11:57 AM
PBM, yep. :) If you haven't given it to him yet, you (and he) will see it next Saturday in the flesh, so to speak. It seems cute, though I really am worried that after a few months of using Mummy's laptop, it will not be sufficient. But if it's not we'll just give it away, it's not like she's lacking for toys. Jennifer, I'm amazed too. :) Thanks all. Posted by: Andrea at November 17, 2006 12:40 PM
I love reading about your little girl. She's a hot ticket (as my Grammie would say). I know what you mean about the laptop for kids ... my nephew, who is six, already has his own profile and games on his Dad's computer. They know way more than most adults do about computers. Blows my mind! Posted by: Kerri. at November 17, 2006 2:48 PM
What a perfect gift! I'm sure Frances will love it. Posted by: Sue at November 17, 2006 5:03 PM
One of my favorite pics of my grandson is one where, having made a secret foray behind the couch to the corner table basket o'power, he emerges crawling in glory with a remote in each fist. His intelligence is clear in that from earliest infancy he had a marked preference for the TiVo commander. Had nothing to do with its shapely styling and colorful buttons of course -- pure discerning brilliance. By the way - everyone should go and cast votes for Beaniebaby in the 2006 Canadian Blogger vote-every-day contest. This message was not approved by the owner of this site. Posted by: Gillian at November 18, 2006 3:31 PM
I think what I love best about you is how much you love being a "MOMMY!". I've never even met her, but I find Frances delightful. My kids (ages 8 months and 2) will have their own computer when Jim upgrades his next summer. One of the skills I srongly want them to learn is computer proficiency, since when I look at the direction civilization has been headed, I'm realizing how vital it will be for them to be able to use the technological resources available. I feel like the needs of our society are moving more toward intelligence than physical labor; the ones who survive and prosper will be the ones who have the mental agility to keep up with the technological progress. "Technophobes" or those unwilling to try to familiarize themselves with computers will fall behind. I think maybe the reason our children are such quick learners when it comes to computers and electronics (or anything, really) is because their insatiable curiosity has not yet been tempered by fear; they're willing to try anything. I've heard adults say they don't like computers because they're too complicated, or they "don't want to mess with it", or something along those lines. That mindset automatically puts them at a disadvantage because then they're unwilling to open up and try to learn about it. I used to feel that way until my technophiliac husband showed me that a computer is simply a tool, much like a hammer or a drill, that can learn to be used if one is willing to put in the effort and patience it requires to learn. If there is one ability at which every child excels, it's learning. Unfettered by fear of failure, second-guessing themselves, or haunted by past mistakes, they charge full steam ahead where we adults are more cautious. How incredible to have a child's mind, where every moment holds endless possibility and creativity has no boundary. Such amazing creatures. Posted by: Phasic at November 19, 2006 12:13 AM
My son Liam would be very jealous of Frances' laptop--he's been coveting one for himself for awhile. He's a whiz with computer stuff--in fact, with all electronic things. Tessa (3 in January) hasn't quite mastered all this--she doesn't type carefully like Frances does, but tends to hit the keyboard until it makes a sound! I'm always amazed at how awkward my mom looks when she works on her laptop. She manipulates the mouse so carefully and obviously while Liam seems to handle it with an innate grace. Posted by: Aliki at November 19, 2006 10:58 PM
Go Berserk |
Change is God (Octavia Butler, Parable Series) "If the writer is a socially privileged person--particularly a White or a male or both--his imagination may have to make an intense and conscious effort to realize that people who don't share his privileged status may read his work and will not share with him many attitudes and opinions that he has been allowed to believe or pretend are shared by 'everybody.' Since the belief in a privileged view of reality is no longer tenable outside privileged circles, and often not even within them, fiction written from such an assumption will make sense only to a decreasing, and increasingly reactionary, audience. Many women writing today, however, still choose the male viewpoint, finding it easier to do so than to write from the knowledge that feminine experience of reality is flatly denied by many potential readers, including the majority of critics and professors of literature, and may rouse defensive hostility and contempt. The choice, then, would seem to be between collusion and subversion; but there's no use pretending that you can get away without making a choice. Not to choose, these days, is a choice made. All fiction has ethical, political and social weight, and sometimes the works that weigh the heaviest are those apparently fluffy or escapist fictions whose authors declare themselves 'above politics,' 'just entertainers,' and so on." Ursula le Guin Email Frances! frances AT athenadreaming DOT org You can email her mother too (that's me):
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