The newest Temple Run champion

I've succumbed.
I always swore my iphone would not become a toy for my 4-year old.
Oh, I had a few games on it...Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and the like.  Not that I knew how to play them...Brandon installed them to keep himself occupied on the long and frequent drives to gymnastics.  But Lilian didn't know any of this and I wanted to keep it that way.  That last thing I wanted was for her to realize the iphone potential for entertainment.  I have friends who purposely load their phones with not only kid friendly games but also movies and music and swear it's a life saver for those long drives in the car, waiting in lines, grocery shopping with the kid in the cart, etc.  And while I could see the purpose behind it, I wanted none of that.  My iphone was MINE.  I didn't want to have to be running around the house trying to figure out where Lilian left my phone.  I didn't want the risks involved...the potential for dropping, breaking, or ruining my phone.  I've heard comical stories of kids sending accidental text messages from the contact list, buying apps, calling random people, etc.  And nope...that was not for me.

But then Rebekah loaded Temple Run onto my phone...a fairly straightforward game that requires a lot of running and jumping...something achieved by pushing your pointer finger around the touch screen.  Lilian somehow discovered the game (maybe by watching her sister?) and quickly realized that it was something she could not only play but actually get rather good at.  I have to admit, it was kind of cute watching her play....her forehead wrinkled up in concentration, her little pointer finger hard at work.  And darn it all if it really is just the best thing for keeping her entertained on those long drives in the car, waiting in lines and grocery shopping with her in the cart.  (Okay, actually she doesn't play while in the cart for two reasons....one, I rarely take Lilian grocery shopping with me.  And two, oh the horrors if she dropped the phone on the hard floor from that high up!!)  

She has since discovered the other wonders and joys of my phone, namely taking pictures of herself and typing out nonsensical "notes"...then asking me to decipher and translate the mumbo jumbo of the random letters she has strung together.  She has yet to send anyone a text, call anyone on my contact list or buy any new apps (thank my password for that last one).  She always asks permission before taking my phone, and I tend to not let her play unless I'm with her.  She even dutifully hands it over when it rings or beeps a text or email through.  But she was in a full pout when I took the phone away tonight so I could leave for book club...

Sigh.  A consistent parent I am, apparently, not.  But hey, maybe I can set my mind at ease with the knowledge that I'm raising the worlds next high scoring Temple Run champion...