The Spark podcast, The Automated Workforce, talks about a world where machine learning enables computers/robots to do even highly skilled jobs. Estimates appear to place this a generation away (25 years?). While some may consider a world where few people work a utopia finally realized, it is also a world where few people can earn money to spend and thus the economy is devastated. It is interesting that it might be possible that robots bring about an Armageddon quite differently than imagined with movies like The Terminator series.
What does my toddler have to learn to survive in such a reality?
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Preparing for having children
Some say to prepare for having children, raise a puppy first. While that is an idea, I think it is ideal if the couple thinking to have kids should have together or individually helped take care of their nieces, nephews, cousins, friends' babies, etc., even for a couple hours. Having some experience and knowing what to expect before the real thing is very important. I played with my nieces when they were toddlers and it could be exhausting, so I had some faint idea that a baby would be even more work.
Our baby experience was terrible but now that our toddler is approaching three, my sister-in-law came to Edmonton with her 5-month-old daughter and we went out on a Sunday with her. With the five of us, 3 adults, a toddler, and a baby, it was eye-opening to somewhat relive those baby years, but have a toddler in tow as well. Stuffing our compact SUV with additional baby equipment, keeping a toddler amused while keeping a baby from crying, we did this with 3 adults and it was a lot of work. Obviously it would have been worse with only 2 adults. No wonder birth rates worldwide are declining.
As with a couple thinking of becoming parents, for parents wavering on having a second child, my advice is "test drive" with a real baby.
Our baby experience was terrible but now that our toddler is approaching three, my sister-in-law came to Edmonton with her 5-month-old daughter and we went out on a Sunday with her. With the five of us, 3 adults, a toddler, and a baby, it was eye-opening to somewhat relive those baby years, but have a toddler in tow as well. Stuffing our compact SUV with additional baby equipment, keeping a toddler amused while keeping a baby from crying, we did this with 3 adults and it was a lot of work. Obviously it would have been worse with only 2 adults. No wonder birth rates worldwide are declining.
As with a couple thinking of becoming parents, for parents wavering on having a second child, my advice is "test drive" with a real baby.
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