eureka

The youngest spawnling asked for walkie-talkies for his birthday. And he got them. Fourfold. Of course, this necessitated the big kids (aka the parents) to play with them test them out. And then it struck me. We've been struggling with a couple minor issues stemming from my disability. One being our intent to convey to the spawnlings that it is rude to shout to a person from the other end of the house rather than walking to them and speaking in a normal tone of voice. Of course, I shout across the house to them ALL. THE. TIME. If I got up every time I needed to talk to them, I'd be permanently crippled, and then I'd be right back to shouting across the house to them anyway. I'm pretty sure our neighbors think I'm an obnoxious loudmouth who always screams at the kids. (Hey, pipe down there in the peanut galley. It's not that funny.)

Anyway. In testing them, we figured out that their range extends over every part of our property and a good ways up the street as well. WIN! We're going to go through an ungodly number of batteries this summer, but I now have a way to reach the kids without making myself hoarse and they have a chance to break the bad habit that their parent has modeled so diligently for them over the past three and a half years.

It's the little solutions that make such a big difference in the quality of a day.