I'm not sure whose responsibility it was when my children were being created to install their listening ears, but I'm pretty sure they all got a faulty set, and I want something done about it.
What is it that causes kids to just tune out whatever it is you say? This morning I found out that my husband had had to confiscate my sons "ball-e" the other night (this is also his third strike*, so guess who ball-e belongs to now?), for something the children have been told dozens of times not to do and have gotten in trouble for multiple times... tossing the ball in the house.
I don't consider myself an unreasonable parent. Kids need to play and burn off steam, and I completely understand that. Even though sometimes it makes me want to scream and turn into Angelica Houston from "Witches", I let them rough house and yell and just generally have a good old time making the loudest (and at times most disgusting) noises they can manage. I even let them play with "ball-e" in the house, under one condition: BALL-E IS NOT TO BE THROWN/TOSSED/HURLED AT A THOUSAND MILES AN HOUR TOWARDS A PERSON OR OBJECT. So basically, just roll ball-e around, and everything is snazzy. Wanting to throw ball-e is perfectly fine, but for goodness sake kids, do it outside! What do you think the back yard is for?
Apparently not for tossing ball-e around, at least according to my kids. Why go outside in the sunshine and fresh air, when you can be in an air-conditioned house and hope mom or dad doesn't catch you? Oh, they tried to be smarter this time, they weren't tossing ball-e around in the main areas of the house you see, oh no... they'd escaped to my sons bedroom and closed the door. Guess it didn't occur to them that a ball makes noise when it hits a wall/object/very vocal person. I really believe if they had a working set of listening ears, they would have figured that out.
So, dear whoever you are that is in charge of the listening ears department, I have a request. I don't want to get anyone in trouble, and I'm sure you're employees work very hard, but someone is slipping up and installing faulty mechanics. If you could somehow find it in the goodness of your heart to install some new or better quality listening ears on my children (their bedtime is at 9, so you can stop by anytime after they've fallen asleep. I'm sure the ears are much easier to install if the child isn't squirming) I'd really appreciate it. You can imagine my frustration at having to repeat the same rules over and over due to a set of faulty hardware.
Ever yours,
~Lady A
*In our house, we have a "three strikes" rule. If I have to take a toy away three times, it's now MY toy. Yay toys!
You haven't grown up with the kids. They are going to fight you. Pick and choose your battles.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Ball-e being thrown a thousand miles An hour. I know you are venting, but I see a lot of completing about the kids. Why not try not being the dictator first, but rather be firm but give them the respect they deserve. They might reward you with the respect of listening.
Hi "i-hate--complainers", thanks for commenting.
DeleteI'm sorry you seem to have gotten the idea that I am some sort of dictator from my posts. This is far from the case. I am very respectful of my children, they are not yelled at or physically punished, and when they have done something wrong, I sit and talk with them about what they did, why it is wrong, and how they can do better next time. This post was meant to be a humorous bit of venting over something that I have sat and talked with the children about multiple times. So sometimes kids just flat out choose not to listen (as in the case of ball-e), no matter how you approach the situation or how many times you talk to them.
I hope you have a great day!