What a weekend. Friday was "family fun night" and everyone was so tired and burned out from the week that we only managed a simple swim - the plan to see "Bubbles the Clown" was pushed back in favor of sitting on the couch watching re-runs of "The Suite Life on Deck" - oh Zack and Cody - you are the craziest twins EVER. :-)
Everyone was a bit more energetic on Saturday morning. We normally go to the gym where I work out my big muscles in a weight training class and the kids get to run around like animals at the club daycare. It all went fine and dandy until we came back home to get ready for the morning swim at V7. Hayden wanted to play the Wii (big surprise) and I told him NO - we are just getting our swimsuits and heading back out the door - Daddy is waiting.
I run upstairs to grab my suit - and guess what I find when I return? My children sitting quietly and looking like little angels? Nope. How about Hayden over by the TV turning on the Wii. Now, while un-diagnosed, I am fairly certain my children have what Bill Cosby famously refers to as "the brain damage." Since I am a Mom and therefor ruler of my children's world - I promptly told Hayden NO MORE Wii - for the rest of the day. You would have thought I told him no more breathing - he cried, screamed, and kicked in a VERY vain attempt to get me to re-consider. I, of course, did not.
We went on with our morning despite Hayden's dramatics - he is prepping me for the pre-teen girl Harlyn will some day become - and everyone had a great time swimming. Except Hayden. He couldn't get past his lost Wii time and it totally clouded his day. At one point - everyone was swimming - but him. He was sitting on a lawn chair trying to make me feel guilty because HE was having a self imposed bad time. Silly boy. I told him straight out that HIS lack of fun hurt no one but himself. I calmly explained - in my best "patient and caring" Mom voice - that we all make choices - and today - he made a bad choice to turn on the Wii AFTER I told him not to. Therefore - in order to become a responsible adult he needs to 'suffer the consequences' of his actions - which meant no Wii.
His eyes got big and he took a step back. Shaking his head in disbelief - he looked at me and said "Suffer??? You want me to SUFFER??" then kicked his shoes off in a rage and ran back to his lawn chair to contemplate how I could love him but MAKE him suffer so. Ah kids...
That night Chris went out to meet a friend, Harlyn was sleeping and Hayden and I were hanging out watching Indiana Jones (Kalle Ma - Kalle Ma). He looked over at me and said in a quiet voice, "I made a bad choice today to turn on the Wii. Tomorrow I will make better choices."
Sigh...it's moments like this that I realize being a hard-ass is so worth it. Despite the hysterics - he learned a lesson. I am proud of both of us...my little boy is growing up and I think I learned something too.
Until tomorrow...
Positively,
Kim
Everyone was a bit more energetic on Saturday morning. We normally go to the gym where I work out my big muscles in a weight training class and the kids get to run around like animals at the club daycare. It all went fine and dandy until we came back home to get ready for the morning swim at V7. Hayden wanted to play the Wii (big surprise) and I told him NO - we are just getting our swimsuits and heading back out the door - Daddy is waiting.
I run upstairs to grab my suit - and guess what I find when I return? My children sitting quietly and looking like little angels? Nope. How about Hayden over by the TV turning on the Wii. Now, while un-diagnosed, I am fairly certain my children have what Bill Cosby famously refers to as "the brain damage." Since I am a Mom and therefor ruler of my children's world - I promptly told Hayden NO MORE Wii - for the rest of the day. You would have thought I told him no more breathing - he cried, screamed, and kicked in a VERY vain attempt to get me to re-consider. I, of course, did not.
We went on with our morning despite Hayden's dramatics - he is prepping me for the pre-teen girl Harlyn will some day become - and everyone had a great time swimming. Except Hayden. He couldn't get past his lost Wii time and it totally clouded his day. At one point - everyone was swimming - but him. He was sitting on a lawn chair trying to make me feel guilty because HE was having a self imposed bad time. Silly boy. I told him straight out that HIS lack of fun hurt no one but himself. I calmly explained - in my best "patient and caring" Mom voice - that we all make choices - and today - he made a bad choice to turn on the Wii AFTER I told him not to. Therefore - in order to become a responsible adult he needs to 'suffer the consequences' of his actions - which meant no Wii.
His eyes got big and he took a step back. Shaking his head in disbelief - he looked at me and said "Suffer??? You want me to SUFFER??" then kicked his shoes off in a rage and ran back to his lawn chair to contemplate how I could love him but MAKE him suffer so. Ah kids...
That night Chris went out to meet a friend, Harlyn was sleeping and Hayden and I were hanging out watching Indiana Jones (Kalle Ma - Kalle Ma). He looked over at me and said in a quiet voice, "I made a bad choice today to turn on the Wii. Tomorrow I will make better choices."
Sigh...it's moments like this that I realize being a hard-ass is so worth it. Despite the hysterics - he learned a lesson. I am proud of both of us...my little boy is growing up and I think I learned something too.
Until tomorrow...
Positively,
Kim
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