Electronic force fields

A couple of evenings ago we went to help our son with dinner and putting kids to bed because Cheryl was away. My husband wanted to take a look at his (son's) new website, so opened the laptop, only to find there was no connection to the web.

Turned out our son had been doing some research into the effects of wifi emanations and had decided to limit these. He switches off completely overnight, and he intends to get a timer for the days so they can keep the wifi on for as short a time as possible.

Something of the disturbances that electronic force fields create we already know. For e.g., they interfere with the birds' migrations, and it's becoming clear that this applies to butterflies as well. Many people believe this is why our bee population is under threat.

So I would recommend caution. Dial-up connection was okay, cable not too bad, but broadband/wifi affects us in ways we cannot yet tell or measure. For our tender, tiny ones, it's a good idea to switch off as often as you can.

Two more points to make re flying

Actually, the first point I'd like to make is that it's best if you don't fly with babies. After 18 months is not so bad, but just imagine how you'd feel in that noisy, shaky machine if you were one sixth or seventh of the size you are now! (yeah, I tried to calculate that against my body. Not so easy.)

The second thing has to do with those back-of-the-seat screens. I advise simply turning them off to avoid the glare and the rays. Sometimes you have to do this on the handset controls, and sometimes on the screen itself. The latter is not always so easy to find, so ask a flight attendant if you need to.

Think 'protection'.

Flying with little ones

I've flown no less than seven times over the past five weeks. Too many and yes, I'm very happy to be home. But I'm also grateful that travels went smoothly. I was distressed on only one flight, and that was when the plane was descending. A baby started crying and I knew why. The little one's ears were hurting.

So, dear parents, think ahead before you fly. It's good to have something for baby to suck, a bottle rather than a soother, I think, because the swallowing helps. In the 'old' days, really many years ago, the flight attendants would hand out sweets and also cotton wool to put in the ears. Now, I'm not sure the latter really helps. It can't harm, though, so have a little on hand.

This is the one situation in my life when I chew gum, or at least, have it in my purse in case my ears start hurting. So I guess for older children that would be an option.

In any case, when it comes to kids, thinking ahead is always a good thing to do!