While at the grocery store tonight, I saw the most ridiculous and eye-rolling thing I’ve seen for quite a while. I was walking to my car when I happened to glance over and see a father strap his one year old or so looking baby into a front-facing car seat. Strapped to the back of the front seat, in perfect position for the baby to view, was a DVD player. It was playing Baby Einstein.
Is it wrong that I wanted to reprimand those parents for potato-fying their baby? Geez. Alyssa watches cartoons and different movies here and there, and sometimes more than she should, but she didn’t before she was about two years old, and I’ll be damned if I would give a baby, or even a toddler, a DVD player for the car!
Thoughts?
My name is Jenn, and I'm a 27 year old married and babied chick. In addition to a husband, a seven year old daughter, and a five year old autistic son, I also have four cats, three hermit crabs, two frogs, a few fish, and one snorty little Pug. I work from home doing a variety of writing and even some web design. I love blogging, digital photography and web design. Kitty.nu has been around for several years. Once upon a time it was home to my personal blog (you can find that over at 
I’m not trying to be rude or anything, so please don’t take it that way. But you really seem to have a very critical opinion of just about everything other parents do. At least that is the way you come across in your blogging.. I know we all have certain beliefs and values – that is TOTALLY fine. But you really can’t judge another parent until you have been in their shoes. There are certain subjects that you blog about as a parent that make me cringe just a little. Not picking on you, but that is just the way it is. I certainly wouldn’t label you as “stupid” just because we have different methods. We all have our opinions, but I do try and keep an open mind. If it works for you then that’s fine. As long as your kids are clothed, happy and fed – whatever.
As for this parent you are talking about, you don’t know how their child reacts to car rides. I would honestly rather see a “potato” in the car than one who is getting the driver into an accident because of distractions. Watching tv won’t kill them, an accident very well could. They may not be sitting in front of a tv 24/7 at home. I had a baby who was high needs and screamed during every car ride. I did get into an accident, and even stopped by police because of it. I could NOT drive like a normal sane person and was stuck at home a lot. If she would have responded to a DVD player, then I would have had one in my car back then.
I’ve never met anyone who was raised perfectly. Just be thankful that the parent wasn’t beating their child in the car or something – try to keep a broad perspective.