Gizmos & Gadgets

I often hear someone from my mom's generation look at a baby item of mine and say longingly, "They didn't have that when I was raising kids..." And I do sympathize. Swings that sing, vibrate, bounce, and, oh yeah, swing twenty different directions are nice. Breastpumps in a trendy backpack? Teddy bears that recite your baby's name? Stroller's that fold with one hand? Yes, please!

However, some of the latest and gratest inventions for children seem a little over the top. I'm sure many people use them, perhaps even some of you. And maybe after a few more children I would be using them too. But for now, I will get a chuckle out of them and say they are for the birds.

1. A food dispensing spoon: You got to give inventors credit for doing this one. It is a good idea. But really, how does it help us? The idea is to twist a bag of baby food onto this special spoon, and you just squirt a litte out at a time into the spoon and give it to your little eater. Does it really save that much time to squirt food into a spoon? Or have we become so lazy that we just want to save the energy that it takes lifting our arm from the jar of baby food to our children's mouths?

2. Snot sucker: A battery operated unit that you stick in your babies nose and it sucks snot, boogers, and lost legos. I guess it would be handy during a cold, but I don't think I could handle it. You actually see the nose-debris as it is sucked out and stored in a nice, clear plastic compartment. I am a person who gets very grossed out by runny noses. Penelope has needed a tissue about 4 times so far, and it was very tramatic. For me, not her.

3. Wipes: Wipes, you say? What kind? There are now soft & gentle wipes, natural wipes, and chlorine free wipes. There are flushable wipes and travel wipes. Pacifier wipes and boogie wipes. Cream infused wipes and all-over cleansing towelettes. Don't forget about biodegradable and reusable wipes. Who knew wipes would be so complicated. Oh, and once your baby turns into a toddler? Quick! Throw out the wipes, you now need to buy 'toddler wipes.'

4. Problem solvers that create another problem: For instance, Sunglases, sunscreen, sunshades, and spf clothing. Never let your child's skin see the sun! Now....go out and buy Vitamin D suppliments, because your child is probably deficient! I'm not saying I'm never going to use sunscreen, but I think there is a point where it gets excessive.