I struggle with my oldest son turning ten years old yesterday. I'm not sure I know how this happened--it seems all of the sudden he's getting hair on his upper lip & legs. He doesn't want to sit on my lap or let me kiss him in public. It went slow in parts but sped up near the end here. When people tell you it goes faster the older you get, BELIEVE THEM.
The funniest thing is, he's in less of a hurry than I am for him to grow up.
Son #1 has been worrying about getting older. Last night he finally answered me when I asked why he didn't want to grow up & be older.
"Because then I'll die, and I don't want to die!" Aww! I had to explain that he won't die, and even if he did it would be a long time from now. I looked back at all the times during his interest in death in recent years, when we had consoled him by saying, "Everyone dies, but you won't die till you're old(er)." Mr. Literal took that to heart it seems. All month he's been saying, "I don't want to grow up & be a big boy!" or "I dont want to be ten, I want to go backwards & be eight years old!" My response? "Honey, I've tried that since I was 29 years old--doesn't work."
He had a great birthday, enjoyed money in the mail & from the bus drivers. (we do have the best here) So last night I took him to Wal-Mart to shop. We got Shrek 3, a "Bling Bling Lightning McQueen" car, and some Lego Clone Storm Troopers. (I bet I botched that last name up...)
All mommy had to contribute was $.27--not too shabby! We got him a Millienum Falcon with "crew" that were from the Galactic Hero sets & some more Lego Clone Troopers. Even the cake was Star Wars & strawberry as he requested, but he didn't partake. Maybe one day he'll eat his own birthday cake.
Son#1 had also been asking for a Wii controller for his birthday, I very nicely explained that wasn't what he was getting. Interestingly enough, I think he would have been happy with just the controller. Hubbo informs me in a household where I'm outranked 4 to 1 in sex, a game system is imminent or a birthright, I'm not sure which. He's just trying to decide between an XBox360 or a Wii. But I have my OWN system I plan to implement when that time comes though. I feel son#1 should earn his time to play video games. So I'm stealing an idea from a friend of placing time values on poker chips in 15 minute allotments. Then he can do chores like bringing me trash from the bathroom, help when we ask to bring us something, etc. And if the surly boy attitude insues that seems to have overtaken him the past year, he coughs up a chip/playing time. This ought to work. I'm very optimistic actually. Now, the big question is, will it work on Hubbo?
3 comments:
I can't believe he is 10! You are so right, it goes by incredibly fast. I can't even imagine when you've got kids to mark it by.
I played a Wii for the first time last week - and won at bowling! It was so much fun and the first time I've ever won anything on a game system! But my arm was a little sore the next day... Great idea about the poker chips!
I like the poker chip idea, too! We might have to implement that with our little gaming addict. She asks to play the second we step foot out of the car at home, which drives me crazy! I like the chores-for-chips dynamic. Hmmmm...
Ten years old--that's just crazy! :)
Very scary as they grow up just how quickly that happens! My eldest is 15 now, how did THAT happen?
the games consoles are not all bad, think of all the free time YOU'll enjoy by return!!
Sue
happy belated birthday wishes to your son!
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