This week we ushered in the beginning of summer vacation.....for the children. Is it really a "vacation" for the parents?
Today was the 2ND full day of vacation for our 7 year old. My eyes were barely open, my first cup of coffee not even yet poured, and my mouth guard was still in its rightful place when he showed me his list of "Things to do Today". He said I got to choose which activity we would do....it was all up to me!
His list included the following:
1. Toy Story 3
2. Buy "Silly Bands" (in case you are living under a rock, these are rubber bracelets and are causing quite a stir in the schools lately because kids are so enamored with the fact that when you take them off, they retain the shape of a hippo, a star or a cat.)
3. Sleepover at Nana's (this seems like the best option but Nana was unavailable!)
I was stalked all morning with this list. Everywhere I went, I was followed by the boy with "the list". If you've seen the John Cusack classic "Better off Dead" where the paperboy is constantly chasing a family for the "TWO DOLLARS" they owe him, you get the idea. Only my kid is much cuter and more polite about his stalking.
When I became a mom, I was showered with books about how to feed, change and burp the baby, but no one gave me the parenting manual with the chapter entitled, "Do as he says, and no one gets hurt". It seems these little people have so quickly mastered the art of Hostage Negotiation. Their constant, specific demands will eventually wear you down to the point that you just give in and pay the ransom.
So, after giving a motherly speech about how "we have all summer to do fun stuff", and "we can't do something every day, especially if it costs money because we can't afford it", and "I'm not going to see you pouting all summer if you don't get your way"; I negotiated a plea bargain and went with #2 on the list.
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