First Commandment

As Rylen sits in his swing and watches "Friends" on t.v., I am learning an important - no, essential - lesson:

Thou shalt not judge other mothers.

For some reason, Rylen is fussy. He won't take a nap, cries when he is awake, cuddles and then thrashes his arms, and then cries some more. So, out of desperation, I turned the television on. What damage am I doing to his developing mind? I think about the moms who admit to plunking their kids in front of the technological babysitter, and I think about how I used to scoff and assume I would never do such a horrible thing. But....

I so wanted to keep my children out of t.v's snare, dreaming that somehow as they grew they would be saved from the lure of the huge images, choosing instead to play outside. But now, my three month old is quieter than he has been all day, thanks to the "miracle box." If the bright colors and movements attract him now, what will happen when he understands what he is watching? Will he lose all interest in doing anything other than sitting and staring? What have I done?

At this moment, I have peace. And I have the t.v to thank.

our new babysitter

Rylen in his swing