A couple of years ago we might have missed a moment like this. Like many others, we would probably have been watching TV, even though it was a gorgeous day outside.

WHERE HAVE THE "GOOD OLD DAYS" GONE?

It's funny how critics lament passing of "good old days". They wonder what happened to communities, neighborhoods, civic virtue, or family values. Pundits rant at right and left, blaming each or other.

Yet, biggest change over last two generations has been advent of television. In two generations TV has grown to suck up over four hours of peoples' time per day. No other social change comes close to this shift. It eats up about half of individuals' free time.

What did people do with those four hours a day before television came along? They spent time with neighbors, with their families, and with their communities. The "good old days" were simply sucked into television set. The fastest way to get them back is to get rid of your TV.

TV ISOLATES US

TV does not unite us. It does not bring us together in any meaningful way, although it is sometimes portrayed that way. The physical act of watching TV isolates us from one another. We don't chat over dinner. We are plugged into TV set. We don't visit neighbors. We watch "Friends". We don't play ball with our children. We watch "Playoffs".

Learning about developmental stages of children and what can be expected in each stage is vitally important to all parents. Since each baby is a unique individual with a distinctive personality, your child's development may vary significantly from what is considered normal. But there are some guidelines and certain behaviors that are fairly typical of all children.

The primary task of a baby's first year is to develop a sense of trust in world and come to view it as a place that is predictable and reliable. Infants accomplish this by forming a close attachment to care givers. During very earliest months, infants have an inborn ability to "bond" to ensure their survival. They express it through sucking, feeding, smiling and cooing. Ideally, these behaviors stimulate a loving response from parents (or caretakers) who give baby much needed and desired personal attention. These pleasant interactions and consistent attention form parent-child bond and lay foundation for child's sense of trust.