Our favorite blue-haired, engineer / roller derby girl / mom, Suzy Cody joins the Manic Mommies to talk about the changing face of Chevrolet, raising two boys, finding time for herself, and how she helped break wind at Chevrolet (improving the fuel efficiency of the new Malibu). We also take a mini walk down memory lane with Erin as she uses her birthday as an excuse to clean out her desk. Oh the treasures one can find along the way.
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Links mentioned: Roller Derby Mom and Aero Engineer Suzy Cody | Chevrolet Malibu Engineers Break Wind in Name of Fuel Economy | Bath City Roller Girls
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Thanks, Manic Mommies for another fun podcast! I just wanted to chime in on the iTouch/iPad question on when/if kids “should” receive one. I think if Erin’s son, at 10 years old, can actually foot the entire bill for an iTouch, okay, but, of course, Erin and her husband have to be on board. My almost 10-year-old nephew, like Kristin’s kids, has a hand-me-down iTouch–was my SIL’s. On the other side of the spectrum, twins in my daughter’s preschool (almost 5 years old) received iPads for Xmas. I was floored. I have an iPad and had to wait 36 years for one!
My daughter just got a birthday invitation from the twins, and my first thought was what can you buy for the kids that have everything?! It all boils down to what each parent/guardian thinks is best and, of course, finances. I think if my daught, almost 5, came to me when she turned 10 and wanted an iTouch/iPad, and I could give/get her a hand-me-down model, I would consider it, but she’d have to “work” for it–extra chores, good grades in school, courteous/polite at home, etc. As for a new one, I like the idea of saving up for one. Good luck to all the moms and dads facing this!
My kids, 11 (finishing 5th), 9 and 6 do NOT have an iTouch and will not be getting one from me…. ever. But that’s only because I’m as anti-Apple as they come. So his argument that everyone has one doesn’t hold any water. They do have DSi’s and I let them play on my Kindle Fire every once in a while. My 11 year old will be entering middle school next year and we’ll probably get him a feature phone – text and phone calls only – as there will be more after school activities and *I* will need him to have it. If he already has $100 saved up, he could probably ask for money from the grandparents instead of gifts and get it himself. If he has to buy it with his own money, he may be more apt to keep track of it and take care of it.
My almost ten year old has an OLD Touch given to her by a neighbor. My six year old has my touch, that was useless to me when I got my iPhone. They are an asset, in many ways, most often when we travel. They can plug in their own headphones and I don’t have to listen to unbelievably bad music or game noises. They also have Ds’s, but we got those refurbished. There are plenty of kids around us who have phones, including iPhones, touches, iPads…. For us it is just important to teach them to be responsible with what they have, whatever that is.
That being said, they are both counting down til when we get new iPhones!
While you two were talking about the whole itouch issue, I was just grateful that I have a 3-year old daughter and we’re a long way from that discussion, but at the end, when your sweet boy said, “It’s either an itouch or an air rifle,” I nearly spewed my drink across my desk! While we haven’t had the discussion about electronic devices, my husband and I talk about the right age to get our daughter a gun fairly often. The Hubs is a big hunter and our daughter has wanted to go out with him ever since she could say the words “Go Hunting With Daddy.” I’m pretty adament about her passing the Hunter’s Safety course before she has a firearm of her own, so it will probably be whe she’s 10 or 11, about the same age other kids will be getting their first cell phones or itouches.
Also, your discussion with Suzy was great! I can totally relate to doing something physical just for myself. I like to run (okay, so it’s more of a slow jog, but I am moving) and recently completed a duathlon. It was the neatest thing ever to come toward the end and see my sweet girl proudly holding up her GO MOMMY sign and cheering me on. She thinks I run fast and can do anything and she’s learning that she can do anything too. It’s been really great for both of us. Suzy has me intrigued about roller derby. Maybe I need to check that out next?
Erin – another mom chiming in on the Ipod Touch issue. I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old daughter. One has my hand-me-down Ipod Touch and the other has my old Iphone 3g (on airplane mode). We let them use them on road trips and when we need them to be quiet, like at our tax appointment or when we were signing 1,000 escrow documents. We like the Ipod Touch/Iphone because there are no cartridges to lose, games are free or just a few bucks and we can load our movies on there. My husband is in charge of what gets loaded, but I guess with a 10-year old, it would be more challenging to manage. I also love the camera because my 3- year old takes the funniest pictures.
I loved this interview with Suzy. Her explanation for taking up derby is so spot on, the perspective is awesome. Thanks ladies!
Well, I’m the Mom that bought her 5-year-old an iPod touch for Christmas. Why? So many reasons… I’d rather buy 1 larger gift (and a few smaller ones) than a bunch of crap I’ll find on the floor and finally dump in the trash. I’m also a Mom that routinely refuses to buy toys when it’s not a birthday or Christmas. Also, I can now refuse the use of my iPhone at any time “because you should have brought your iPod” (see, I’m teaching responsibility!). And as Susan says above, there are no cartridges to lose & he can watch movies on it. I do have rules with it – he is never allowed to use it in a restaurant. That’s family talking time, not TV / gaming time. I’m surprised so many people feel like $300 is a lot for a kid these days. Don’t all our kids have Playstation / Wii / XBox, etc? Those weren’t cheap and they’re hard to take on a car / plane trip. Alright now, let me have it
MY 12 1/2 SOLD EVERYTHING THAT HE COULD SELL (DS, DS GAMES AND OTHER TOYS) AND USED HIS BIRTHDAY MONEY AND CHRISTMAS MONEY AND BOUGHT HIMSELF A IPAD WHEN HE WAS 10 1/2 YRS OLD.
I loved the interview with Suzy. I’m an engineer, too, also in a very traditionally male field – ship repair. I’ve been working a little longer than Suzy. I was talking to a friend at work yesterday, reminiscing. She told me that when we met, right after I started work, she was excited to meet another woman in the department. 21 years later, I still get excited to see new women in the department, but it’s no where near as unusual as it used to be.
I want to respond to the ipod-touch. I have a daughter that is the same age as Tommy and she has an ipod touch. She saved her own money to buy one. To be honest I wasn’t crazy about the idea but it has turned out to be a good thing. She is showing responsibility with it.You said the texting is a negative. For me it is not. I can be at work and she can text me rather then calling and interrupting my day. She knows that I can’t always repsond right way. The problem now she is on a kick ot get a phone and she is using her ipod touch as amunition. “mom, you didn’t think I couldn’t handle the ipod and look, it has been over 6 months and I have not lost or broke it” Also, now my 8 year old son wants one. I told him if can save his money like his sister he can get one. So far he has save $24 and it has been 3 months. I don’t think that will happen soon.
You can also use it as grounding amunition. I have done that and it works like a charm
I’m with Jenn. This year for the the Christimas Break vacation, we were going on a family trip, so we bought the kids (ages 6 and 9) ipods. We also bought them only one gift, the ipod – which they had no issue with, like Jenn said its something they really wanted and I’d rather buy one thing they really wanted or a bunch of crap that gets thrown out or put in the attic. I love them – they are so useful. The kids play Math games, Wurdle (spelling game), Highlights, practice there handwriting, plays Stack the States and Countries, as well as they can listen to there own music and watch videos, they also play games but I tell them that they have to pay for those with there own money, I will only buy educational games. They also video chat with there uncles, grandparents and cousins who live far away and have a better relationship with them.
My husband and I discovered something very cool last weekend. Using the Apple Airport, we can turn off our kids’ iPod Touch wireless during different times of the day. So from now on they cannot be online on it from 11am-3pm and after 10pm (our kids are older than 10). The hours will adjust again after school starts.
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Thanks gals for all the feedback. The big #10 birthday is this weekend and if I don’t contribute to the iPod Touch, I don’t know what else to get him. Another DS? I mean, that seems like a waste of money. And as some pointed out, the games for the iPod are much less $$ than the DS games which end up getting lost, thrown out, etc. Hmmm. I feel like I’m caving in here….
I have been catching up on listening to the show…. My 9 year old daughter saved her money for her I-Pod touch and she loves it. Now her younger brothers want one but they have been told that when they save their money for it – they can get it.