Words of Wisdom

Youth is wasted on the young.

Monday 15 July 2013

Impotence

So we know why the Small Boy wanted to stay with us the other week.
He was avoiding a camp.
The Small Boy will always avoid things which cause him discomfort.
Fortunately, his dad forced him to go to the camp and he returned last Friday with a big smile and a sense of accomplishment. But then he decided to stay with us for another week.

A large part of me wonders what he is trying to achieve, or avoid.
I am cynical yes, but it is a cynicism borne of experience. Unfortunately, I am completely powerless to do anything about it.

On the following Monday morning, having spied the vile X Box (which had arrived with Small Boy),  I asked Himself,
"What are the rules about X Box going to be during the school week?
"Well," he drawled, "I've said there will be a one hour ban every night."
It was all I could do not to choke.
"A BAN?" I sputtered."How about a one hour ALLOWANCE??????"
My protestations were not met with sympathy.In Himself's eyes he had made a reasonable compromise.

Now here is a Flaming Sword lesson in the obvious. A ban suggests that the activity is the norm, and reinforces the idea that our normal life is spent engaged in the pursuit of virtual reality. Giving an hour of internet time however, assures our children that the internet is an appropriate, entertaining and necessarily brief reward for persistence in the bigger issues.

I went to work that morning seething with resentment. Small Boy is not my problem. His father is.

So do I tell you of my Big Falling Out with Small Boy now, or do I leave it for another post?Another post methinks. It exhausts me just thinking of it.





7 comments:

dawn marie giegerich said...

I have an evil stepdaughter (she is in her 30's) and this totally spoiled princess took her father to court because she expected him to pay her college loans and grants. She went to a ridiculously expensive private school and he had already paid all her college expenses including a car, insurance premiums on the car, her apartment rent (she had a pool), everything, clothing, groceries, entertainment fees. In return she severly curtails our time with the grandchildren (she has "trust issues" based on the fact we did not pay those loans and of course the judge sided with Husband.) My man continues to mince and bend over backwards every time the girl rears her ugly head and I just want to back away, so I do. Who needs a drink . . .

dawn marie giegerich said...

severely . . . I misspell when I'm angry . . .

Arizaphale said...

Oh I am RIGHT with you baby! Fetch me a glass!!!!!!

Jill said...

"I went to work that morning seething with resentment. Small Boy is not my problem. His father is."

So true. :-( :-( :-(

We had a LOT to talk about once little miss descructo was born and I realized that we had to hash everything out and make sure and be on the same page (more or less) BEFORE the older kids' behavior started to influence the new baby. There's only so much you can do with small boy until you get dad on your side. :-( :-( :-(

But, in answer to your question, you TELL. Of course. :-)

Anonymous said...

On the premise that your lesser half reads your blog you must have some interesting dynamics in your house. I won't help by suggesting you are 100% correct - he is either being thick, lazy or suffering from some misguided form of kindness when it comes to his attitude to computer games.

The problem/challenge is that you will be asked to "fill the vacuum" when/if time is limited on the XBox - parents seem to spend their lives as entertainment managers these days - but the alternative is just too sad.

Arizaphale said...

Anonymous: Himself does NOT read this blog...hence my honesty :-)

Anonymous said...

Actually, if I were a betting man, and I am, I think the balance of probability is that he reads your blog, but doesn't admit to it ...