That’s right: I was being a Good Mother.Yeah, well the Good Mother has more on her plate than she can say grace over and is now giving due homage to the Nintendo overlords.
I don’t love the Wii because I’m playing it (although I will live out the occasional rock star fantasy on Guitar Hero and I am awaiting the Wii Fit to quit selling out of the local WalMart before I can get there). I love the Wii because the Amazing Child loves the Wii.
Yes, yes, Bad Mother, will rot her brains, she needs to be out in the sunshine, yes, yes. I know. I’ve lived the lecture. But I need some time to catch up on the backlog on my desk and get ahead on the hell that July promises to be (and let’s not forget that book I’m supposed to be writing), and the Wii keeps AC occupied.
We won’t mention the fact that AC knows how to get the thing turned on and set up and I manage to mess it up every time…
At least she’s playing active games—ones that require her to move more than just her thumbs. I’ve seen the kid break a sweat on the Wii. Some of those games require some complex problem solving skills. And she went to camp last week and got plenty of exercise. And it’s 90+ degrees here; who wants to go outside and have a heatstroke?
Excuses, excuses, you say. I fully admit it. I can try to justify, but what’s the use? I’ll take my Golden Coathanger Award (that’s a Mommie Dearest reference) and admit to my Bad Mother-ness.
Anyone else want to fess up to a Bad Parent moment to make me feel a little better? Or am I the only one taking advantage of the Wii…
PC (which probably stands for “Passive Caretaker” right now)
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Other news!
Winners from guest blogger Nicola Cornick are Sherry W and Maureen. Email Nicola at ncornick@madasafish.com to claim your prize.
Our Instigator hosts her first discussion at eHarlequin starting today. Go over and make her look good, okay? http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/simply-series/kira-sinclair-blazes-new-trails.
13 comments:
I don't think you should feel bad at all. Kids play video games today. It is a social thing because they will go over each others houses to play them and discuss them at school. My son is in high school and I clearly remember years ago my son and a group of boys from the neighborhood sitting in the playroom and playing video games. Each one of those boys is involved in at least one sports team in the high school, one of them already offered a couple of scholarships for football.
On a daily basis I feel like I am not making the grade as a mom. I allow things sometimes because I have to get something done (like writing).
So, I feel your pain, but I don't think you're terrible; as my husband would say you're using "expedient" means to get the job done. :)
Been there, done that! More times than I can count. Sign me up for one of those awards as well.
For my kids it was Sesame Street and the Electric Company along with a kids exercise program on tv.
Of course, now I'm hooked on the Wii. I go to my son's and play tennis, bowling, boxing and I'm sweating my buns off. I want the Wii fit. It's on my Christmas list!
As a mere observer, I think you're too hard on yourself. AC is a smart, well-adjusted little girl. She'll turn her Wii experience into something she can use later, you just wait and see.
And it sure as heck beats plopping her in front of the television to keep her quiet. I had a friend who did that to her baby. The kid is five, a monster, and has her own tv in her room now because she pretty much has to have it on 24/7.
Barbara and I obviously raised children in the same era. The only way I survived the first couple months of my second pregnancy was to plop #1 son in front of the TV in the afternoon and let him watch Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers. I'd give him a sippy cup of juice and a bowl of dry Cheerios and I'd nap while he munched and watched. #2 watched his share of PBS as well. And now I've been introduced to "Wonder Pets" via BabyGrand. This is serious!
I actually bought #1 son his first Atari game set at the suggestion of a teacher friend who said it would help with his hand/eye coordination. These days he's not only a whiz with computer games, he's also a whiz with Photoshop and just outbid a large firm to win a lucrative contract to design 3D models for a college.
I think we're often very hard on ourselves when our children are small because there's always "that" mother whose kids don't watch any TV and who feeds her family only organic food and doesn't allow them to consume a grain of processed sugar. Let me clue you in on something. Supermom doesn't exist; she's a myth just like Big Foot and the Abominable Snowman.
I was hard on myself too, but darnit, my boys turned out pretty good. I have an architect and a grad school student who made a 4.0 last semester. I think the key was moderation.
PM
You know, the fact that you're even worried about this tells me you're a good mother. A bad mother wouldn't care.
I spent my fair share of hours in front of the Atari and Nintendo - Frogger, River Raid, Bubble Bobble...and I turned out okay. But I also did other things.
My youngest brother is from the video game generation (10 yrs younger than I am) and is now studying software engineering in college. Those years with a game controller in his hand are going to pay off in the end.
Instigator
I want a wii...for me. I love my ds, but the wii has all the fun active games. Plus I've heard so much about the cow races and it sounds fun. I don't think playing the wii is any worse than the tv shows or the atari we watched and played as kids.
I actually stocked up on some kid dvds the other day for my youngest niece. My 3 nieces will be at my house in a couple of weeks, and I work one day when they are here. Youngest loves the Wonderpets, so I made sure to take care of our Ming Ming fix.
Sounds like we've all had to use whatever resources were at hand to assist us in our mothering duties. And it also sounds like they all are turning out great.
Besides, you've already proved you're a great mother. You went to camp!!!! That to me was above and beyond the call of duty. :D
Oh gee, I feel I should clarify my television comments. Don't want to insult anyone! (I often don't quite complete the thoughts rattling in my head, sigh.) My friend let the kid watch it non-stop as a way to keep her quiet. Non-stop. And now the child *has* to have it or she's a terror.
I too watched plenty of Sesame Street, Captain Kangaroo, Zoom, etc as a kid. :) I think I turned out okay.
I knew what you meant. You're referring to the couch potato child who knows the television schedule by heart and knows it's dinnertime because a certain show is coming on, not because he/she knows how to tell time.
When my daughter was about two, I went to a motherhood class at church with a friend. There I sat, burning with guilt, while they talked about how they wouldn't let their children watch more than 1 30minute Veggie Tales each WEEK! Mine watched 3 or 4 each day...
Now, you know what, I don't really care. My children watch a lot of television, but they also play games (we have a computer and Wii), listen to music, play outside, jump on the trampoline, etc.
Instigator is right (you've heard Counselor Shelley say it), if you are worried about it, then you are a good mother.
Angel
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