Media Mamas Blog

We Media Mamas got a big kick out of the Baby Einstein refund. If you haven’t heard the news, Disney is refunding the full price of all Baby Einstein DVD’s out of fear of a class-action lawsuit from angry parents whose babies have not gotten any smarter after watching them. Ironically, just this week I tried out my first Baby Einstein video, Neighborhood Animals (got it from the library, no money back for me). Until now, the only videos my toddler had seen were the DVD’s I had made of her—-they’ve allowed me to cut her fingernails very effectively over the last year. Now, with the new baby, I needed something to distract her while nursing. Unfortunately, she soundly rejected Baby Einstein, can’t say I blame her. Forget about increasing her IQ, these were BORING! Didactic. Slow. Nothing like, errr, emmm, Barney which in a stressed out moment was the handy YouTube alternative. Note to self, please make new DVD for toddler so I don’t have to go around singing Barney songs anymore. For all you Media Mamas, showing your kids themselves on the big screen may not make them any smarter, or maybe it will, but it’s guaranteed entertainment. And I’m just wondering if Calvin  Klein will give me my  money back as my body has not magically transformed as a result of their underwear. Hmmmm.

I had an excellent opportunity recently to ride along with a client who is taking part in Metro’s Transit Instruction Program, which is designed to help people with special needs ride regular Metro busses.  An individual trainer rides with the special needs client, establishing the route and appropriate bus behavior.  The instructor guides the client towards independence, eventually doing a “secret follow” to ensure that the client is able to safely continue on his or her own.   

  My self-appointed role was to document the details of the route with digital media.  Using a combination of photos, video and web information (maps, schedules, and google maps street photos), I created a power point “talking books” for my client to review prior to his trip on Metro.  This allowed him and his parent to go over the details and sequence of the trip without the parent having to ride along.  In addition, he enjoyed seeing and hearing his routine on the computer.

Look for some generic bus riding media to come soon in our gallery.  If you have a special needs family member who is ready to work towards some independent trips on Metro, contact the Transit Instruction Program contractor at 206-749-4242.  Then schedule a consultation with Media Mamas for some digital media to help your bus rider be successful.

We mamas and papas and kiddos braved the torrential snow and got together this weekend for potato latkes and dreidel and some general laughs and munchies. Here are a few highlights!

Media Mamas Hanukkah party from Christine Dunbar on Vimeo.

We media mamas, like many of today’s modern families, are spread far and wide from friends and family. I think a wonderful gift to give those far away from the kids is a peek at our holidays. Families naturally whip out the video camera or snap photos when the gifts come out and the fancy holiday clothes go on, but what about all of the little things that make your holiday special? What are your family’s traditions? Your parents might love to see a photograph or short video of your child making a beloved family recipe, or doing a craft project that they taught you as a child. Taking a brief moment to capture the time leading up to the actual holiday, when you might be too busy to want to document more than the basics, is a great way to help those far away feel connected to your child. If giving gifts is part of your tradition, think about documenting your child opening the gift and saying thank you. Take out the camera a few days later after the chaos of opening presents has died down and get some quality footage of the gift in use. Nothing would be more satisfying to the giver than watching the child delight in what they were given. This is true for family far away and even those who were present to watch the gift being opened.

Media Mamas would like to support you in your endeavors to stay connected with your family. We offer help ranging from workshops in shooting and editing video, to one-on-one home visits for the basics (How do I get pictures from my camera onto my computer or send them by email? What is the best website for posting photos and videos?). No matter what your level of experience with digital media, we can customize our time to help you in using these wonderful tools to stay connected and document the magic of your children. Some parents may have all the computer skills they want, but not enough time to manage their photos and video. We also offer services in editing and creating your final product for you, be it a DVD, photo book, online video, or other media keepsake for you and your family.