Apparently, Baby…

Apparently, Baby Einstein videos are actually bad for your baby's language development (may be good still for other aspects, but still...). Eep. Thankfully, we hadn't bought any yet, but we probably would have, so I'm spreading the word. Kavi does clearly love talking directly to us the best (and having us talk to her), which is sort of fun to do, but does get a little boring. This is where having friends and relatives around is a big help -- Grandma Ann is very happy to talk to baby at length. :-) Go, little baby brain, go!

But here's the question -- can I still watch tv if I'm in the same room with her? If I turn her so she's not facing the screen, then it's not like she's actually watching, right? Please don't make me turn off my Doctor Who, my Monk, my Eureka...

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Dammit, I should've been eating sushi all through my pregnancy -- it's safer than chicken. Argh. Now they tell me.

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Two other interesting pieces I ran across -- David Gollancz speaks eloquently against anonymity of genetic donors, and Peggy Orenstein discusses at intelligent and perceptive length the ramifications of using donor eggs. I have friends who have donated sperm, and other who have considered utilitizing anonymous sperm, and I find this entire topic fascinating. Apparently, in the U.K. anonymous donation is now illegal; if a child conceived in such manner asks for the information, they are legally entitled to it.

Of course, many parents lie to their children (if only by omission), and the children never know to ask. I have to say, while I sympathize with parents who fear to take on the emotional difficulties of explaining to a child that they aren't genetically linked to their parents, I do believe that it does the child a tremendous disservice to keep the truth from them. Even if you believe that genetics aren't that important, that family is about love and care and choice -- you get to make that decision for yourself. Your child should have the right to decide for themselves how much they value a biological connection to a parent or sibling (or half-sibling).

1:30 update: An insightful queer perspective on the genetic openness issue.