As with many other households in the UK today, we have an abundance of electronic gadgets that have built up over the years for birthdays and christmases. These gadgets are usually treated with some respect at the beginning of their lives.
Sadly, the respect seems to slowly wane, but while the gadgets are popular, they tend to get used as a means to instill better behaviour. Most of you will know what I am talking about.
It goes something like this:
“If you don’t get ready for school by the time I could to 5, you’re grounded, and you won’t get your x-box until tomorrow.”
Now we have a dilemma. If by the time I count to 5, man child has not got himself ready for school, should I take it further?
I hear myself say:
“Right, that’s it, I am going to count again, and if you are not ready to go out the door by time I have counted to 5, it will be away until the end of the week.”
Man-child is now getting very annoyed with his Scottish Mum, and decides that he is going to stick it out as he can cope with no x-box for a night, and thinking I will forget about it by the next day and laughs.
“Right, that’s it, the x-box is going away until after christmas.” I hear myself saying that sentence in total horror. I’ve said it now, and I have to follow it through as my boys would just walk all over me the next time I decide to give an ultimatum.
The only problem now is that I have punished me as my boys x-box time is usually when I am making the evening meal. Now that it’s dark outside by supper time, it keeps them amused while I am busy.
The x-box is now locked away in a cupboard, there to stay until December 26th.
Me and my big mouth.
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Update: The x-box is still regularly put away in the cupboard, but over the last couple of years, I’ve found that it now gets locked away less and less often, which can only be a good thing for the family.
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