kaiser@belker.DEC (Pete Kaiser HLO2-1/N10 225-5441) (11/14/84)
We (parents) all want the best for our offspring. A lot in our culture and in merchandising encourages us to feel that this means buying the best (read "most expensive") for them. Think of all the ads that nearly accuse parents of child abuse if they don't buy their kids a home computer. It ain't so. Mimi was given some embarrassingly expensive plush toys in her first year. Guess which she likes best: the huge, expensive beagle or the ratty little rag doll. For Mimi, as for all the adults I know, it turns out to be best to consider her tastes in buying for her, be it toys, clothes, food, or anything else. I know people who would feel positively criminal if they hadn't bought the $250 high-tech super-stroller with more folding joints than a pop-up book. For us it would have been nonsense; we actually ended up with Mimi in our arms lots of the time anyway. The cheap stroller we got (and the cheap um- brella we fastened to it) took plenty of abuse; and it was lighter and folded up smaller than the high-tech models. For us, the key things seem to be appropriateness and Mimi's own tastes. This means that we sometimes DO buy something that seems expensive. So far we've never regretted it. But it's nowhere near our "default algorithm". ---Pete
susan@vaxwaller.UUCP (Susan Finkelman) (11/16/84)
While this topic is being discussed, I'd like to hear about high chairs. My most trusted consultant suggested that those cute wooden spools were really a pain to clean...I'm interested in hearing what others have found to work well. Susan Finkelman
segs@mhuxv.UUCP (slusky) (11/28/84)
I used a Sidewinder high chair. The tray is one piece of plastic with no doo-dads to catch dirt. The edges of the tray are raised, so spills don't end up on the floor. The tray is hinged in a clever way so that it opens from one side and rests at the side of the chair for entry and exit. This is very convenient once a kid can climb in and out her/himself. Having to lift a kid in all the time can be tireing and tiresome. Also, the tray is removable and the bare chair can be used at a table of normal height when the kid is three-ish. This eliminates the need for booster seats. Without a tray it's just a higher chair, by about 4 inches. Then you can keep using it till the child is really comfortable in an adult sized chair.(or until the upholstery wears out, although you can, and I did, buy replacement cushions) --
stevev@tekchips.UUCP (Steve Vegdahl) (11/28/84)
> > While this topic is being discussed, I'd like to hear about high chairs. > My most trusted consultant suggested that those cute wooden spools were > really a pain to clean...I'm interested in hearing what others have > found to work well. > > Susan Finkelman We have found a "sassy seat" to work very well. It's a high-chair substitute that attaches directly to the table. It's very portable and lightweight, so that we can throw it in the car when we go somewhere. To clean it, we just toss it in the dishwasher (we have a plastic version-- the dishwasher might not be as practical for a cloth one). It's also much less expensive (~$16 three years ago) than a regular high-chair, and easier to store. The major disadvantage I know of is that it does not work on all tables (my parents' dining room table, for example). If you plan to use it instead of a high-chair, you might borrow one from a friend and try it out on your table. ******************************** Steve Vegdahl NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR Computer Research Lab. typos Tektronix, Inc. logical errors Beaverton, Oregon actions of my pet alligator ********************************
mark@tove.UUCP (Mark Weiser) (11/30/84)
We have the wooden high chairs, and they aren't that much problem
to clean.
--
Spoken: Mark Weiser ARPA: mark@maryland Phone: (301) 454-7817
CSNet: mark@umcp-cs UUCP: {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!mark
USPS: Computer Science Dept., University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742essachs@ihuxl.UUCP (Ed Sachs) (11/30/84)
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The "sassy seat" has a definite dis-advantage from regular high-chairs. The kid is at the table and can reach and grab (and knock over) things on the table. For 18mos - 3years, a high chair that has its own tray and can be placed at arms length from the table is a distinct advantage. -- Ed Sachs AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxl!essachs
drp@ptsfb.UUCP (Dale Pederson) (11/30/84)
> I used a Sidewinder high chair. The tray is one piece of plastic with no > doo-dads to catch dirt........ Another vote for the Sidewinder from our family! We too had to do some repair work on the vinyl pad, but it has stood up for four years and 2 kids and the manufacturer has worked with us on one problem we had with the tray (we had an early model which lacked the tray reinforcement of today's version, they sent us a new tray at no charge when a crack in the plactic appeared... no problems with the new tray three years later).