McDonalds and the Wonder of the iPad

The plan was this: I drop my friend at her meeting at Loyola (we're in Chicago visiting) and I take the 7 kids on a little venture through the McDonalds drivethru, and eat in the car or at a nearby park, and then go pick up my friend from her meeting. So, we dropped my friend, we drove though. We found a park, but could not find a parking spot for the park. So, we ate in a "no-parking" spot and that's when I heard it. "I have to go potty." Now, since the day before my friend and I encountered 3, count them, THREE, sets of wet pants from 3 different children, during our outing, I figured I should take this statement seriously. So, we headed back to the McDonalds. I sat in the parking lot for a second trying to talk my 10 year old into taking the 2 2.5 year olds inside to go potty, but he didn't feel he could handle it. And since I wasn't really sure he could either, I decided to march the 7 children into the McDonalds to use the potty. We safely make it across the parking lot, head to the back of the restaurant to the restrooms, and that's when I see it - the yellow caution sign. And a bunch of suds coming out from under the door of the ladies room. REALLY. Fortunately we are at McDs during brunch (not a busy time) and there's a big booth open near the restrooms. I sit them all down and we wait for the ladies room to reopen. But now there are two requests for potties and I'm feeling desperate. I end up talking the 9 and 10 year olds into taking the little guys into the men's restroom (gross) then I go insane with the antibacterial soap when they emerge. In the mean time though, I have ingeniously begun the playing of Toy Story 2, the movie, on my IPAD, and all children are sitting quietly entranced by the glowing screen. So, at this point we are just hanging at McDs to pass some time, and watching the movie. So, my whole point is this - to thank my husband for the awesome Ipad he got me for Christmas : ) I don't know how my parents did it before all this fabulous technology. And people may think; oh, but all the technology reduces the creativity, and moments of quiet, etc. To them I say this: In moments like this Technology reduces my stress, and therefore enhances happiness for all. In moments like this technology is a friend to us all.