I'm not saying this to toot my horn, believe me. Matter of fact, for those that know me, know that I don't walk around singing "me me me me me MEEEEEE..."
But Bigdog and I rarely "fight" about things. Sure we'll have our annual blow up over no-ups, but that always leads to better things. (WINK WINK)
We don't bicker about money, or even religion. How many of you thought that since we're "interfaith," we would? Surprisingly, we balance ourselves out quite well in terms of finance and faith. Maybe that's due to our past with one another. The previous storms we both had to weather prior to getting married. Who knows, and it doesn't matter. We rarely disagree--and that is not a joke!!--
We do, though, disagree over one thing. One silly minor thing that will cause the annual paper throwing temper tantrum that I'll display like fireworks on the 4th of July; all red faced, splotchy, loud and hoarse, with the dog covering her ears with her paws.
We disagree over video games.
Over our children playing video games.
I hate those things.
I hate what they do to our boys, what it does to us, and what the long term impact could have with these darned things. I'm not talking Wii, I'm talking XBOX. No offense to those Xbox gamers out there.
Our children are 9, 6 and 4.
In my opinion children shouldn't play video games until they can:
A) Speak
B) write their name
C) Sleep through the night
D) Demonstrate acceptable anger management
E) write their name in cursive
F) ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Yes, all of the above. Video games annoy me. Especially the ones that involve fighting.
Call it what you will, but when you spend your days at home, caring for your children, chances are you'll witness boys being boys. Which means, they'll bicker, fight, sell each other out, tackle one another, hit, shove and spit on each other--for fun--
Yes, FOR FUN!
So why would I, want to add extra stimulation to their inner beings'? Why would I want to plop them in front of a plasma, give them a violet video game to play, and expect peace and harmony.
Peace and Harmony?
I think not, my friends!
Video games are a privilege. Rest assured our Xbox is the first thing that disappears in this house. It's limited to weekends only, during the school year. But lately their have been more aggressive, and more antsy.
It's the end of the school year, and full on allergy season, that mixed together and you'd think ADHD was the main ingredient within our home.
So I took the system away from all of them-as a consequence of course.
They are not permitted to play Xbox until June.
I only have a few days left of this lovely consequence.
Believe it or not, it has been lovely. Sure they've been in my hair and shadow far more often then not, but that's what kids ARE supposed to do. It doesn't mean I'm supposed to drop everything and go play with them, because that is not me. But they have been nicer to one another, and the one child that has been battling anger, is getting the difference between the right kind of anger, and the wrong kind.
So how can I take it away permanently?
You'll say, "well, you're the parent, you have the right to take it away at anytime..." or, "just take it away, already!!"
I get that, believe me, I do!
However I must first hold true to the punishment, and provide them with the opportunity to play it-in come June-- in a controlled environment that is--
Meaning: I will have to plant my flat sorry tush on their chair in the toy room where the game system is.
Or should I just put it all on the season's shoulders and tell my sons, "school is almost out (June 8th-I think), go outside and play...soon enough you'll be missing the outside freedom.."
Until then, how do my husband and I figure out how to agree to disagree or just agree that "my way" is the way that is the way to go when it comes to our boys and their Xbox. After all, I'm the one home with them all week-aside from one day-
What would you do to stop the video game fighting that might arise amongst a married couple and their only true "marital issue?"
Well, that and the way he drives....
But Bigdog and I rarely "fight" about things. Sure we'll have our annual blow up over no-ups, but that always leads to better things. (WINK WINK)
We don't bicker about money, or even religion. How many of you thought that since we're "interfaith," we would? Surprisingly, we balance ourselves out quite well in terms of finance and faith. Maybe that's due to our past with one another. The previous storms we both had to weather prior to getting married. Who knows, and it doesn't matter. We rarely disagree--and that is not a joke!!--
We do, though, disagree over one thing. One silly minor thing that will cause the annual paper throwing temper tantrum that I'll display like fireworks on the 4th of July; all red faced, splotchy, loud and hoarse, with the dog covering her ears with her paws.
We disagree over video games.
Over our children playing video games.
I hate those things.
I hate what they do to our boys, what it does to us, and what the long term impact could have with these darned things. I'm not talking Wii, I'm talking XBOX. No offense to those Xbox gamers out there.
Our children are 9, 6 and 4.
In my opinion children shouldn't play video games until they can:
A) Speak
B) write their name
C) Sleep through the night
D) Demonstrate acceptable anger management
E) write their name in cursive
F) ALL OF THE ABOVE.
Yes, all of the above. Video games annoy me. Especially the ones that involve fighting.
Call it what you will, but when you spend your days at home, caring for your children, chances are you'll witness boys being boys. Which means, they'll bicker, fight, sell each other out, tackle one another, hit, shove and spit on each other--for fun--
Yes, FOR FUN!
So why would I, want to add extra stimulation to their inner beings'? Why would I want to plop them in front of a plasma, give them a violet video game to play, and expect peace and harmony.
Peace and Harmony?
I think not, my friends!
Video games are a privilege. Rest assured our Xbox is the first thing that disappears in this house. It's limited to weekends only, during the school year. But lately their have been more aggressive, and more antsy.
It's the end of the school year, and full on allergy season, that mixed together and you'd think ADHD was the main ingredient within our home.
So I took the system away from all of them-as a consequence of course.
They are not permitted to play Xbox until June.
I only have a few days left of this lovely consequence.
Believe it or not, it has been lovely. Sure they've been in my hair and shadow far more often then not, but that's what kids ARE supposed to do. It doesn't mean I'm supposed to drop everything and go play with them, because that is not me. But they have been nicer to one another, and the one child that has been battling anger, is getting the difference between the right kind of anger, and the wrong kind.
So how can I take it away permanently?
You'll say, "well, you're the parent, you have the right to take it away at anytime..." or, "just take it away, already!!"
I get that, believe me, I do!
However I must first hold true to the punishment, and provide them with the opportunity to play it-in come June-- in a controlled environment that is--
Meaning: I will have to plant my flat sorry tush on their chair in the toy room where the game system is.
Or should I just put it all on the season's shoulders and tell my sons, "school is almost out (June 8th-I think), go outside and play...soon enough you'll be missing the outside freedom.."
Until then, how do my husband and I figure out how to agree to disagree or just agree that "my way" is the way that is the way to go when it comes to our boys and their Xbox. After all, I'm the one home with them all week-aside from one day-
What would you do to stop the video game fighting that might arise amongst a married couple and their only true "marital issue?"
Well, that and the way he drives....
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