It was a big deal, last year, when we got an nice iPod Touch for my son’s birthday, and it was great to see how much use he made of it: texting friends, playing games, emailing, noting school assignments, and yes, even listening to music. When we went on longer trips it gave him something to do, and I felt like a good parent for having provided it.

When all is said and done, pets are better than iPods anway.

Strangely, when we went camping last month, the iPod was nowhere in sight, although my son’s friend had his own iPhone with him (there is no way to keep up with all the cool things the friends seem to have). I didn’t say anything. Like most toys, the iPod fell in and out of favour, so I expected it would pop-up again.

Well, it didn’t.

I could see that something was on my son’s mind, and one evening he lay down on the bed next to me and spilled the beans. “Dad, I think I lost my iPod.” Fortunately, I was calm at that moment and I replied (sincerely), “you must be very upset.” He was, but he was pretty stoic about it, too. I had warned him there was not going to be a replacement if he lost it or broke it and he seems to accept that.

This is his experience and I don’t need to mix myself up in it. I can be sympathetic without trying to “make it better.” One of his sisters may have an older model iPod which is no longer needed, but I’ll let a little time pass before we look into that option. It hurts to lose something special, but it’s not a bad lesson to learn.