Sounds of electronics filled the air as I happily chopped up some things to get dinner ready.
The doorbell rang and I froze.
Not even a moment later, I jumped into action by grabbing and hiding the Ipads away from two now unhappy children before I got to the door.
What kind of mother would anyone think I am if the minute we get home, my son and daughter are given electronics to entertain themselves?
From an early age, we learn that friendships hold such importance. Through play we are taught about sharing. We take turns in games. Friends tell each other secrets and celebrate different events together.
But what happens as we grow older to keep those unique bonds going? Our range of friends extends to all different personalities. How do we talk so that our friends listen and more importantly, how can we determine what we want out of a friendship?
Superheroes are fun role models for children. Little ones can dress up and pretend they have special powers. As parents, many of us promote different character traits a superhero has to help our kids become stronger in character. There are so many books and shows where the fictional characters have special abilities.
Then children grow older and start to become miniature adults as they are faced with all kinds of social and interpersonal situations that special powers can’t fix.
Who becomes the role model then?
On July 21, 2007 hundreds of thousands of addicts around the world raced to the bookstore to pick up the last book in the Harry Potter series, I among them. With the treasure safely in my clutches, I practically flew home like a seeker in a Quidditch match and did not leave again until I’d read every last word.
Harry Potter books were themselves magic. There were 7 books in the series and each one launched us deep into a world where vibrant notions of darkness and light came vividly to life. And each time, you turned the last page and wanted more. We’d all resigned to the end, however. We were promised seven and we took mournful leave of the Harry’s story and waited for the films to come out.
And then, nine years later, there were rumblings. Harry was back.