A few nights ago, we packed up all the game systems in our house. Including the DS Eli just got for Christmas. It was a long time coming, really. But games have been Eli's FAVORITE thing to do. It's how we kept him drinking water when he was on the verge of being admitted to the hospital once. ("Drink 3 sips and you can play for 5 more minutes..." ) It's how we potty-trained him. (Yeah, he's gonna love that I shared this when he can read.) So you can understand, that when he loves something that much, I felt guilty taking it away. But limiting time, and limiting games, and trying different tactics wasn't enough. His mind just gravitates to it. And if he gravitates to it, he'll obsess over it. His game skills are far more honed than his people skills, and that's not what we're about.
Some incidents occurred that led to taking the games away, so he didn't complain at the time. The amazing thing? He hasn't complained since. We're only two days and counting -but I'm amazed. And relieved. And I think he is too.
We had been planning an indoor camp out night this weekend. This morning, Eli decided he wanted to ask his 2nd grade teacher to borrow her DVD Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie. (She's awesome - and has been reading it to them at school - which I LOVE her for!) She said yes - and so he came home saying "It will only take us 16 hours to watch the whole thing!" Well, we're not doing that, but the campout theme turned into a "Little House" theme. I had to run to get groceries, and when I came back - they'd built a little house in the living room - complete with loft and ladder. We had eggs and toast and sausage on tin plates, and ate by candlelight, and "Jack" (a wooden toy dog that was Jason's when he was little) guarded the house.
And Julia and Eli informed us that for the rest of the night, we were to be referred to as "Ma and Pa".
I could totally get used to this. :-)
10 comments:
well that's so cute. alani is totally into Little House. I think she can actually get into it because it's not filmed in that fast paced scene changes every 1.3 seconds way that more recent stuff is. we just turned it on one day, on the local station and she was mesmerized. i have the book set, i've NEVER read it (terrible) but now that she likes the show so much, i'm really looking forward to starting the book series with her in a couple of years. . nice blog ma!
Ma and Pa :-) I am okay with playing Little House as long as I can still have electricity! :-)
Knowing how you sometimes watch Little House...Are the family traditions being passed down? :-)
So Cute :-)
And this is why I read your blog every day. BTW, we lived for Little House every Monday night (and Waltons on Thursdays), but I seem to remember Pa crying every episode. Is Jason that in touch with his emotional side?
Wendy - Are you kidding? Jason cries even when Pa is not - all because he's anticipating the day Mary will go blind.
Timbra - You can read my Social Skills Suicide book FIRST, THEN read the Little House series to undo all the damage.
Cindy -
Yeah, we opted to get rid of TV and Radio in our pretend play, but no one could part with Electricity either. Besides, what would YOU & Lynn do w/o IM ?
How much fun! I know life in your house is filled with an amazing environment and that you give your kids wonderful memories that they will never forget.
We love you guys - Toni
How awesome you guys are! It almost makes me wish I had a house full of kids again just to do something like that...but I said almost :) Memories like that can't be bought, and sure aren't made with a GameBoy, but will last a life time.
You two are such cool parents! Sounds like a great evening...now if only I could figure out a way to get my husband away from the games :)! I tried to get him to watch Anne of Green Gables with me recently and I can't imagine why he didn't think it was the greatest movie ever!!
Looking back, I think one of the best things we did when the kids were young was to disconnect cable and strictly limit what we watched on tv. It's amazing how fast we got used to reading and doing things together. I will have to say Evan and I had some great times playing video games but that was in the days when games were a lot simpler and didn't involve killing everything in sight. (Well, sometimes maybe most everything in sight.) Either way, those were good times. One time when we had started watching a new show and were starting to really enjoy it, one of the characters used the S word a couple of times and Rachel looked at me and said "we really shouldn't be watching this should we?" That was the last time we watched that show. From the mouths of babes. Love you guys. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Ma!!
I absolutely love this!! It is so great! Can I come spend the night at your house?? :)
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