Tough Love
My son is an addict.
Yes, it's true. So after careful deliberation, my husband and I decided that it was time for an intervention. Sometimes as a parent you have to hurt the child you love so dearly in order to help them.
So yesterday Terence hid the GameCube and unhooked the XBOX, and we informed J that it was time to take a rest from the video games. Oh, the tears! The agony! The never-ending complaints! The wails of "Is the game rest over yet, Mommy?" But we knew it was time. When your son throws a fit when you tell him it's time to go to the park or to Grandma's house because he wants to keep playing his game, you know action is desperately called for.
Now we're day 2 into cold turkey from video games, and I'm the one wondering if the rest is over yet. It's driving me absolutely nuts! I didn't realize how much I was using video games to entertain my kids so I could get something done/feed K/take a shower/exercise/take a nap, etc. I think in the past, moms could just send their kids out to play and tell them to be home when it's dark. However, our backyard is the size of a postage stamp, and as for sending them out into the front-- well, we've already had a case of a neighbor molesting two girls on our street, so naturally, my kids only go out there when I can go too. Which means that I can't fold laundry/pay bills/make dinner, etc.
Finally, this evening I found a solution to my dilemma! It's called a DVD player. (On second thought, maybe I should break the GameCube back out. At least there was hand-eye coordination involved.)
Yes, it's true. So after careful deliberation, my husband and I decided that it was time for an intervention. Sometimes as a parent you have to hurt the child you love so dearly in order to help them.
So yesterday Terence hid the GameCube and unhooked the XBOX, and we informed J that it was time to take a rest from the video games. Oh, the tears! The agony! The never-ending complaints! The wails of "Is the game rest over yet, Mommy?" But we knew it was time. When your son throws a fit when you tell him it's time to go to the park or to Grandma's house because he wants to keep playing his game, you know action is desperately called for.
Now we're day 2 into cold turkey from video games, and I'm the one wondering if the rest is over yet. It's driving me absolutely nuts! I didn't realize how much I was using video games to entertain my kids so I could get something done/feed K/take a shower/exercise/take a nap, etc. I think in the past, moms could just send their kids out to play and tell them to be home when it's dark. However, our backyard is the size of a postage stamp, and as for sending them out into the front-- well, we've already had a case of a neighbor molesting two girls on our street, so naturally, my kids only go out there when I can go too. Which means that I can't fold laundry/pay bills/make dinner, etc.
Finally, this evening I found a solution to my dilemma! It's called a DVD player. (On second thought, maybe I should break the GameCube back out. At least there was hand-eye coordination involved.)
Comments
these days you can't let your kids go run out and play. It's not safe. Sad.
If you ever find a solution please let me know.
Good luck!!