Can’t say I am sorry to see it go

We have a problem at our house. It is called the computer, and it has literally robbed my kids of their imaginations. All they think and talk about is the computer or saving to buy an Xbox.

They fight over whose turn it is.

They whine when I put it away to literally give myself a break from the arguing and such.

They recently spent a week at their grandparents house, and Bill and I made the decision to eliminate the conflict from the house.

Their computer “broke”.

Now, they know it isn’t really broken, but they get the concept…….the old laptop is no longer available for them to fuss and fight over.

As with any addiction, there is some clothes ripping and wailing. This morning, my youngest son came in and yelled at me, yes, YELLED at me, telling me how unfair and mean I am. Absolute and total disrespect and ugliness.

Tough.

I will not tolerate this crap any longer. The computer age is dead at our house. This laptop, the one I am writing this with, is the only gate to the WWW in our house, and it spends 3/4 of its day shut down now.

Life is being lived at our house, and my kids are going to have to buck it up and experience it with us.

We are their parents, and we know it is not healthy for them, so Bill and I are taking a stand.

I know that this is a different age that we live in, but I spent almost all of my free time riding my bike and exploring the creek near our home when I was young. I was a healthy kid, sweating and coming home filthy. T.V. had something like 5 channels, so there wasn’t something on to entertain us at all hours of the day. We did something called “playing”. Wow, what a concept.

I think parenting takes on a whole new challenge when you shut down the electronics. I am sure I will hear the word “bored” much more than usual. Fine. It is okay to be bored. Life doesn’t have to throw a juggling clown in front of you every second of the day.

There is a giant world outside, waiting for my kids to discover it.

Now, if we can all make it through the transition phase without caving……………….