Life is never dull in GGHQ and that’s mostly my excuse for not writing lately … I’ve been mulling over this post for well over ten days now but actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) has not been easy as there has been an atmosphere of chaos around our home that makes everyday life seem fairly calm by comparison!
The latest drama is that Mr GG has put his back out (whilst feeding the guinea pig no less) … poor man is in absolute agony but hopefully the physiotherapy is helping and he’ll soon be back to normal … in the meantime I’m having to be very sympathetic (which anyone who knows me knows is NOT easy). I think that guinea pig feeding duty will be taken by Son No2 who is, in any case, the rightful owner!
The other day I was really excited to receive a gift from someone who reads my blog. It’s my first “blog” gift and I was really touched. So, thank you … you know who you are 🙂
And now back to the Love Dare.
Well, Day 19 was titled “Love protects”. I really found this chapter helpful, especially as it’s something that Mr GG and I talk about so often … protecting our boys in a world that seems to be more and more frightening every day.
When I first became a parent I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility I’d been given. I wanted to protect my baby and keep all harm from him … well, twelve years and two more children later that’s not changed a bit. I still feel overwhelmed at the thought of being a parent and the responsibility of protecting, teaching and parenting my lovely boys, I want to protect them from all danger but realise that, all too soon, I’m going to have to let them find their own way in the world.
As a parent, it bothers me that so many of the games around now have evil undertones. It scares me that my children are being opened up to things they just don’t understand. It horrifies me that parents think disabling swearing from incredibly violent games means that it’s OK for their children to play them before they reach the recommended age. I’m often told by my boys that “everyone else gets to” do such and such or go such and such a place … but as their mother I’m responsible for protecting them and sometimes that doesn’t match with the wishes of my children.
My boys are obsessed with gaming … it’s something that Mr GG and I have struggled with and talked with other parents about (finding it reassuring that they face the same battles and concerns).
A couple of weeks ago, in yet another attempt to monitor console use we came up with a plan to encourage our boys to work for game time. A chart was made of all the chores that could be done around the house and an allocation of minutes attached to each one. There are chores that have to be done before any games can be played at all … making beds and tidying bedrooms. Two weeks in I’d say that it’s been our most successful plan yet. The boys are putting on laundry, mopping floors, cleaning, emptying and filling the dishwasher, sweeping floors and asking for more to do … I’m so chuffed!
Even better, just today Grandad GG called round and during his visit commented at the way the boys kept to their time … admittedly I have to keep track of three different timers now but when time is up the boys accept it and go off to do something else. We’ve agreed that each day I’ll write a list of chores that I would like done through the day and it’s up to them who does them … when the chore has been completed properly then they get a wee card to exchange for minutes.
Now, it seems as though I’ve gone off on a tangent but I’ve not … the dare for Day 19 was to work out a way of setting boundaries for the boys … I’m pleased with the results especially in relation to video gaming.
There are so many issues that we face as parents, so many ways we need to protect our children and so many pitfalls but, despite all my failings, I’ll never stop trying to keep my boys safe and pray that, somehow, I’ll be an example to them.
The ramblings of gingergnome 