Addiction intervention

Does anyone else’s children stare at YouTube videos, like technology zombies?  Are the videos often times of kids playing with toys?  Does anyone else see the failure in this?  Why are my boys watching videos of kids playing with the same toys they own, rather than playing with said toys?  We need to nip this in the bud, and unbeknownst to our offspring, things are going to change dramatically in the coming weeks.  During the colder, winter months, it’s not exactly easy for my kids to keep themselves from getting in each other’s personal spaces nor feasible for us to play referee every interaction; so we allow more tablet time.  Each winter, we create monsters!  My children thrive when they’re able to get outside and just be boys.  However, I dare compare their tablets (aka YouTube videos) to a drug addiction.  When we go to take them away and allow only 30 minutes a day, it’s going to be like an addicts had their drug of choice taken away.  There will be rebellion, there will be attitude, and there will be total withdrawal.  I don’t look forward to it, but it’s necessary.  I tell them “looking at those things is robbing you of your imagination”, or “it’s killing your brain cells” … see, like a drug I tell you.  I often wish we had never been introduced to tablets, but it’s the way of the time … and I can’t say anything at all, I’m often times locked in on my phone.  Nevertheless, we’re going to disconnect a bit more now that its warming up & we can get outdoors without all the layers of clothes.

♫ Seagulls ♫

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♫ Seagulls: they poke at my head, not fun, I said seagulls… stop it now! ♫

This video by Bad Lip Reading, its Star Wars related, and guys, it is very entertaining to this family.  We sing it repeatedly… thanks ladies (Angela & Sarah).  However, the other night, the boys took what was a fun song and turned it in to a song we’re going to have to limit.  Nothing like hearing your 5 year old say “psycho wiener” and “grab my peter” … while “psycho wiener” is in the song (I never claimed I was perfect, we allow rubbish) … it DOES NOT say “grab my peter”!  It does say “let me grab my beater” and Yoda proceeds to bang on R2D2.  Not able to relate … well you should watch the video "SEAGULLS! (Stop It Now)" -- A Bad Lip Reading of The Empire Strikes Back - YouTube and you’ll understand.  

Clean house? What's that?

Ever just looked around and thought, "Dang, I should really clean this place!"  Then a baby cries and a preschooler calls for you to wipe his butt ... simultaneously ... so you stop looking around and go tend to the needs of those that breath.  Then, after you finish said tasks, you go back to what you were doing - which is looking around at the mess that life has made within the walls of your home.  You start to think of the first place to start, which often times for me is the kitchen.  So you start cleaning the kitchen, then guess what?  The elementary age kiddo needs help with his homework.  So you put on your thinking cap, because who understands Common Core math, I mean really?  Who understands it?  The logic is to breed deeper critical thinking skills, but in the meantime its just driving all of us bonkers.  So here I am with a dish cloth draped over my shoulder, trying to figure out this nonsense that is grouping, regrouping, sharing and borrowing in three different methods.  Thank the good Lord up above that the kid gets it, that's my daily prayer.  That, and to please not let YouTube disappear because I definitely looked up the method on YouTube to try to help explain it to him a little more clearly.  No shame!  Task complete.  Back to the kitchen... oh snap, the baby has fallen from her sitting position, to flat on her face; granted she's laughing about it, but oh, no, no she's not, now she's crying.  Mom to the rescue.  Oh wait, the preschooler needs help finding Ollie's family on YouTube, because Heaven forbid that guy go a day without seeing what's happening with Ollie's family (Daily Bumps, they're actually a really cute family).  Okay; elementary school child is content, preschooler content, and baby content, now back to the kitchen cleaning.  Crud, the dog!  I left the dog outside ... he's in the neighbors yard!  BRUISER!!!!  Here I go, pick the baby up out of the pack 'n' play & tell the boys we're going to grab Bruiser.  Off we go tracking across the yard, total southern mama style (baby on the hip, bare feet and screaming at the dog).  I'm now running with the baby on the hip, because Bruiser thinks its a game.  Bless his free spirit!  After a short stint, we finally get him by the collar and we hustle him inside.  Baby laughing, me exhausted, Bruiser trying his best to get out of the collar and run.  At this point, I realize the dog needs to go for a walk to get out his energy.  Come back inside, the elementary kiddo is missing from his table, and is found cuddled up next to the preschooler watching little Ollie fall in a water fountain at a mall (Ollie's okay, by the way).  I tell them both to get on their shoes, get on their helmets, we're going for bike rides and a walk.  I get the baby carrier, put that bad boy on my chest, put the baby in the carrier and put the leash on Bruiser.  Off we go!  Kitchen ... house ... you can wait!  (And I wonder why the house isn't clean)