Boogers and iPods don't mix.

If your iPhone and your child were hanging over a cliff and you could only save one, which would you choose?  Okay, that’s an easy one (hopefully).  Every day your gear comes dangerously close to its demise at the hands of the ones you love the most; your kids.  Kids are drawn to the glow of the iPod and iPhone screen like a moth to light.  They are mesmerized and must touch the magical devices.  Unfortunately, their sweet little digits are usually covered in some sort of food, boogers, or other unsavory substance that will inevitably leave a smear of goo across your screen.  Gives new meaning to finger gestures.  Ewww.  Kids don’t come with instruction manuals, but your Apple toys do and they do not recommend that type of screen treatment.  With Apple stores no longer carrying film-based protection it appears the company believes their screens don’t require a barrier.  Jimmy’s post-PB&J hands beg to differ.

With a shiny new iPad in your posession or sadly on back-order, you are likely devising a plan for how to keep the sacred device under lock and key for fear of Jim-Jim using it as a coloring book - not a cool coloring app, with actual crayons and markers. Just like any other lesson in life, children will learn what they are shown.  When was the last time you carelessly tossed your iPod/iPhone on the counter?  (gulp) Dropped it on the floor?   Accidents happen of course, but that’s what AppleCare and third party accidental damage protection (ADP) plans are for (and when will Apple offer ADP as an extension to their Protection Plans?)  Don’t set the bar too low for your kids by thinking they can’t handle the responsibility.  Explain proper use and care, and show them how to do it.  Limit use and supervise them.  If you let your three year old carry your iPod into the bathroom chances are pretty good it will end up in the toilet.  Can you really blame your little darling?  He just wanted to see the bowl light up.  Thankfully, it doesn’t look like protective screen manufacturers will go away quietly.  When your best parenting efforts fail, shop the web and invest in some really good gear-friendly shields and cleaning wipes like those from ZAGG.  If invisibleSHIELD (available for iPod, iPhone, and iPad too) is strong enough to protect military helicopter blades it had better withstand your boogery offspring.