I understand the dilemma, but I don't like Evelyn asking people for money. It's the same people we are always humbly seeking more money from, usually grandparents (and us).
I don't want Evie to ask for money from people. I just don't. And the school hangs beautiful carrots over the student's heads- that's actually a horrible analogy for grade school kids; they actually entice them to participate by doling out raffle tickets. The kids are so excited by the possibility of winning an electric scooter, tickets to coveted events, loud flashing toys and games and, perhaps the most desired prize of all (at least in Evelyn's eyes) the echo DOT, aka Alexa.
Evie came home fired up one afternoon after attending a pep assembly at school.
"Mom, I need to raise money because I want to win the Echo Dot."
Ok, let's start off saying that there were several things here I wasn't thrilled about: asking people for money and including Alexa in our household.
But ok, let her try to raise some money so she can put her little raffle tickets in the pot. I mean, what are the odds of HER winning this.
She talked about this Echo Dot for weeks while she raised some money. Thanks to her grandparents, great grandma, her "never-ending bucket of money and support" ( aka mom and dad), and selling hot cocoa at the end of our driveway on a snow day, she managed to raise $300.
She cashed it all in the very last day of the fundraising campaign and that was that. The fundraiser was over and the big closing assembly with all the prizes would wrap things up on Wednesday.
Well, Wednesday afternoon she came, and what do you know Evie comes waltzing in the front door after school and announces, "Hey mom, guess what. I won the Echo Dot."
She's beaming and at first I totally think that she's joking. I mean, come on.
Out of all those kids at school her name is drawn from the raffle?!
She's been calling it for weeks that she was going to win this and she actually did!?!
I thought my concerns about winning this piece of technology didn't need to be addressed.
Welcome Alexa.
I was in shock... So much so that I started shouting and jumping. It wasn't because I was happy Alexa would be joining our family. It was because I just couldn't believe that she had called it.
She said she was going to win it.
And she did.
Well, the next few hours were consumed with meeting Alexa.
"Alexa, play this."
"Alexa, What's the weather?"
and her favorite:
"Alexa text Mom."
Well, my life has just changed. I should probably change this blog title to "Suddenly Seven."
I think like any generation of parents, it's hard to understand and grasp your children growing up and interacting with new technology you didn't have. I mean, what about the good old days?!
We didn't grow up with it, so get that poison out of my house!
The kids thought it was fascinating.
I honestly struggled with it.
Go outside!
Read a book!
Play make believe!
It's hard for me to accept that this is their reality. They don't know life apart from the iPhone and AI.
And what I'm realizing is that instead of fearing this technology and viewing it as evil and something that we should avoid, I instead need to know how to raise my kids amongst it, because it's not going anywhere. In fact, technology is going to invade our lives even more. So, I need to educate myself on it and learn how to live life with it in a responsible, appropriate way with my family.
That night as Evie was getting prepped for bed, she thought it would be so cool if Alexa woke her up with the alarm. "Alexa, wake me up at 7:15."
A sudden sadness overtook me: "Don't you want your mother to come in and gently rub your back to wake you instead of her." I pointed to her in betrayal.
The thing sat on her nightstand, pulsing like a heart beat in the darkness.
"Well....I think I want her to tomorrow."
A few minutes after I tucked Evie in she called for me from the dark. "Mom!"
I entered her dark room and find her cowering a bit under her covers as she watched Alexa from a corner of her worried, distrusting eye.
"Mom, I'm scared of Amanda."
Frustrated and agitated because I felt we've already had enough conversations, I said, "Evie, what are you talking about! Who's Amanda?"
Raising her voice, she pointed to Alexa on the table. "Mom! I'm calling Alexa "Amanda" when I don't want her to answer me."
At the sound of "Alexa," the black pulsating circle seemed to rouse a bit.
Oh my goodness, are we actually having this conversation?! The struggles of a 21st century child!
Well, I didn't know what to do about this except just take the thing out of her room.
Despite her obvious fears, the spell seemed to be cast and she still protested at that advice.
So, we got Dad involved.
John suggested we test the alarm sound so we know how Alexa-er, Amanda, the alarm clock would wake her tomorrow. I think that's what she was scared of, the unknown sound she would hear first thing in the morning.
And you know what, it didn't even matter because she woke up way before her alarm the next morning; I think subconsciously knowing Alexa was going to wake her the next morning caused her so much anxiety that she got up way before she needed to.
She spent the extra time tending to Alexa that morning.
She came into my room as I was getting ready, holding her dear companion.
"Mom, Alexa can do anything," she announced adoringly.
I stopped what I was doing to stare at her. "Sweetie, Alexa doesn't have a soul. She's not real."
"She is real!" she retorted offended.
"No she's not!" I insisted, now raising my voice in frustration. "Watch. 'Alexa, cook me breakfast.'"
Alexa immediately responded: I CAN NOT DO THAT YET> BUT I CAN GIVE YOU RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST OR HELP YOU CONVERT MEASUREMENTS TO MAKE BREAKFAST OR FIND PLACES TO EAT BREAKFAST NEAR YOU>
"See. She can't make me breakfast Evelyn. She can't do everything"
"Yet," she said as she walked out of the room.
True.
She had a good point.
Alexa did say 'Yet'. Which kinda concerned me but also made me hopeful. 😬
Well, like a pet hamster, the thrill and excitement of Alexa wore off. I found her last night laying outside of Evelyn's bedroom door, unplugged.
When I woke her up from a deep sleep in the morning, she rubbed her eyes and smiled.
Nothing beats a human heart and soul.
Especially one who can cook you breakfast too.
No comments:
Post a Comment