NO!!!! to video games! Sorry if this is offensive to anyone and I am hoping most of us are on the same page here....but I do not want to raise men who still play video games! (I don't have a problem with once in a while of course)
When my boys ask for video consoles I always say the same thing to them. "No! I want you to play Lego's, draw, create stuff."
Rhett is far to busy (thank you ADHD!) to care about video games but Nathan sure likes them. But I have him also completely sold on Lego's. Be still my soul. My brother and I grew up on Lego's.
My kids are growing up on Lord of the Rings! Every year we have a LOTR marathon over Christmas break.
So when Nathan discovered these sweet gems (below) he was ecstatic.
And it was just what I needed to bribe him into orchestra for another year. I am not opposed to bribery. I call it incentive. Grown ups get work incentives all the time, so how is it different.
It is very important that Nathan continues with orchestra. We have worked so hard to get him to the level he is at and I don't want to lose or waste all the efforts thus far. (Including all the years Justine babysat for free in trade for his lessons!)
However, because he is at a charter school and orchestra is at a public school the schedule this year did not allow him to continue with his previous class. In order to do orchestra again he would have to repeat 7th grade orchestra. It would be all new songs so he would still learn. BUT...it would be all new kids and probably a bit of a hit to his ego. He was nervous. He hasn't had a lost of practice making new friends because he has been with the same charter school friends since 2nd grade.
So he insisted he wasn't going to take orchestra again.
Thank heavens he is an easy incentive taker. And who could pass up these great Lego's!!! I mean...Smeagol with a fish even!!!! Isn't he creepily great!!!???
And Aragorn has stubble even!!! Hilarious. Nathan gets them next month. I was able to get him to go for the middles priced range set. He is a good boy.
1 comment:
Aine Maura 100% there with ya, Susan! :)
Nancy said...Grandma loves Legos TOO! LIKES TO HEAR HIM PLAY VIOLIN ALSO!
Michelle said...WHERE did you find those legos????? *drooling* We are huge LOTR geeks over here! Oh my gosh~ SMEAGOL???? Did you know the Hobbit is coming out in December instead of March now btw??? Let's do the dance of joy!
Susan said...NAthan found out about them online and they are at walmart! We have been waiting forever for the hobbit!
Michelle said...I just looked them up. I hope they are around at Christmastime! Last year was a Lego Harry Potter Christmas. Our basement is still crawling with Harry Potter buildings! I love it :) We have a "no video games except on Friday" rule and it works really well. It's amazing how, once they realize they can't stare at a screen (games, tv etc) how their imaginations kick back in! Sad to think of how many zombie children there are out there....that probably sounded offensive. But seriously! For a few weeks we tried just letting them play whenever they wanted and it was the ONLY thing they did~ they got sucked in and I swear they had zombie eyes! I think gaming can be fun in moderation~ but since when does society believe in moderation? So many kids are hooked on those things, it's an easy babysitter, and I think they lose a LOT in so many different areas~ and yes, they grow up to be adults hooked on games. Sad. Game addiction is a huge problem for so many families now a days. It not only keeps people from connecting with other people, it keeps them from connecting with themselves. Long live Legos! :)
Susan said...I can't trust myself to let them use it in moderation. I like the baby sitter. So I just keep saying no...
Michelle said...The babysitter is so tempting! I know. Especially in the winter. That's my hardest time. So you have to do what you have to do~ and it sounds like your children aren't suffering too terribly ;) You're such a great mom!
Michelle said...(long live books, too! I was THRILLED yesterday when I found my boys downstairs curled up with stacks of books next to them! I seriously almost fainted from joy ha ha)
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