Ditching the PSP

Tonight one of the offspring who is OBSESSED with video games (as so many young boys are) amazed me. The hub and I keep a very tight reign on the the amount of time that the boy has with his beloved electronic games. He has to read to earn gaming time - minute for minute, and only can play on the weekends.

BUT - on Thursday nights when I coach 'A's basketball team and the Hub is working late the boys have to come with me. So - I let 'N' play his PSP during practice from 8-9pm if he has earned it by reading.

'N' loves basketball - and his practice time is earlier so he is usually tired by 'A's practice and quietly plays his PSP during that hour. Tonight however - there was a free basket in the gym and I was shocked to see him excitedly ditch the PSP, grab a spare ball and have a great time shooting hoops with a couple friends.

This may seem like no big deal - but I LOVED watching my awesome kid not just voluntarily but excitedly emerge from his electronic world to do something else.

Now I just need 'Z' to ditch his blanket that I let him bring to the practice. On one hand I am horrified that I allow him to bring it. On the other hand - he theoretically should have been in bed and hour earlier and has very poor coping skills. Having him lay on my coat on the gym floor under his blanket seems a better alternative to trying to coach while having to lug around a tired/grouchy/sobbing 5 year old.

After all, I have to deal with a not-so-tired/grouchy/often sobbing 5 year old during all other daylight hours.

Conversations with 'Z'

Me: What do you want for breakfast?
Z: What's on the menu?
Me: Ummmmm - Mini Wheats?
Z: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............
Me: So, would you like some Mini Wheats?
Z: y-y-y, n-n-n-, y-y-y, n-n-n, y-y-y-YES! That was a tough decision!
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Z: I need to be rich when I grow up.
Me: Really? Why do you need to be rich?
Z: Cause I need a giant mud pit in my back yard.
Me: Do you need to be rich to have a mud pit?
Z: Yes. Cause where else can my elephant play? I also need an ocean in my backyard for my dolphin. And I need to take the mud pit in the house so my elephant can come in when there is snow but I can't take the ocean inside so I guess I will have to get a salty pool in the basement. I also want a whale when I am rich.
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Z: Can I have bubble gum for breakfast?
Me: Nope.
Z: Well, how about sugar free bubble gum? Or cookies?
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Me: Aren't you excited for Kindergarten next year?
Z: No. I am excited to go to college so I can get my own pet.
Me: I am excited for you to go to Kindergarten. You will do fun things there.
Z: Oh good! Like going to the pool?
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Z: I wish I had my drivers license.
Me: Why?
Z: Because then I could drive my own car and drive to Africa, Greenland, and the North Pole. I would get an Elephant in Africa. I would see if trees grown in Greenland. And I would meet Santa at the North Pole. Maybe Santa will give me a whale for next Christmas.
Me: Where will you put a whale if Santa gives you one?
Z: In a huge pool in the basement.
Me: We don't have a huge pool in the basement.
Z: I know! He will give it to me when I am rich.
Me: How will you get rich?
Z: I will do my best and work hard and get good grades in every school. Then my job will be to train animals, like whales, dolphins, and elephants.
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Z: My favorite food is going to be salad, carrots and turkey when I grow up.
Me: Do you like those things now?
Z: Ew! Yuck! I hate salad and carrots. Turkey is okay though.
Me: When are you going to start liking salad and carrots?
Z: When I am 15 I think.
Me: What is your favorite food now?
Z: Chick-Fil-A Food. And corn.
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Me: I like this Valentines Day card that Grandma sent you.
Z: I don't like it. Pirates should not be on a pink card.
Me: Well, it's a Valentines Card and pink is a Valentines Color.
Z: Well I hate the card, but I do like the five dollars in it.
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And while walking past Victoria's Secret in the Mall
Z: Ugh! Bras! I hate seeing girls in bras!
Me: I know! Close your eyes so you won't see them.
Z: Why can't I just see girls with no bras!?!
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Tick..Tock..Tick..Tock

I hate to waste time. This does not mean that I don't get distracted from what I should be doing. I routinely start different projects that are completely unnecessary. In fact, I happen to be the reigning queen of misappropriating my time with things that are non essential. During the creation phase of such projects I am incredibly unaware of the many things that I should be doing. Those 'things' (a.k.a. responsibilities) , suddenly come rushing back into my brain as soon as I hear the kids walk in the door from school and I realize that my so-called free time has ended, and my to-do list is still quite long.

And so - I have banned myself from the craft store. (And did I mention that my husband is less than thrilled at the number of crafty purchases that appear on our bank statement). No A.C. Moore, no Michaels, no Jo-Ann Super Store. These mercantile institutions are my vice. So - with the banishment of all craftiness I will undoubtably gain many hours with which to accomplish the need-to's.

Now I only need to figure out a way to gain more time by remembering where I park my car. I am not exaggerating when I say that I NEVER remember where it is parked when I have been away from it for more than 30 minutes. I shudder to think of the number of hours that I have wasted as I wander around parking lots, holding my keys in the air, pressing the lock button in hopes that I will near my vehicle and it will answer me with a bleep-bleep. When 'Z' is with me he helpfully calls out:

"Where are you Honda Pilot? Honda! Honda! Where are you?"

A glass-is-half-empty kind of gal might find this embarrassing. Luckily I am a glass-is-half-full sort so I realize that my idiocy, accompanied by child-like helpfulness has caused many a laugh in retail and grocery patrons alike. I am brightening the day of others, and perhaps providing them with a humorous anecdote to share with loved ones over dinner.

And if I were a half-empty type, I could find solace in the fact that my car will never again be lost in front of a craft store.