Monday, July 21, 2008

The Evil Xbox

I have a confession. I'm not a perfect mother. I'm terrible at folding laundry and last week my kids ate doughnuts for breakfast twice! And I admit that we have an Xbox 360 in our house. Not exactly something I'm proud of considering all the evidence that video games and TV are terribly damaging to kids in countless ways. Oh the shame! But I have a husband who LOVES video games. My boys adore everything their father does. I'm outnumbered. Fortunately, the Xbox created few problems since we had relatively few games. Until now.

Microsoft and Lego have recently turned to the Dark Side and come together in a plot to ruin my life. Not long ago we purchased a Star Wars Lego game. It quickly became my enemy. Whenever "Xbox time" was over, I endured numerous protests and insulting screams and scorns. Who knew the Xbox would turn my darling boys into Gremlins? But then, fortune smiled on me in the form of a move back to the Northwest. The game was mysteriously lost and forgotten about. And peace returned once again to the galaxy.

Somehow the Dark Side is striking back. We've acquired Star Wars Lego's II and the missing game has been found. *Sigh* It has become an obsession so we limit their gaming time. (I have mentioned these boys are 7 and 4, right?) Every morning Tyler wakes up at dawn and creeps down to the Xbox for a little pre-breakfast fix before Mom wakes up. Noah walks around chanting the Star Wars theme music - even in church! Robots, light sabers, Legos. What more could a little boy want?

And so, here is my confession ... I must confide I love how attentive and big-brotherly Tyler is to Noah as he coaches him through the game. I love to hear the pride in Noah's voice when he defeats a foe. I love that they share these strange little accomplishments with each other. There is a rare sweetness between them during those brief moments. It's my ray of sunshine in the whole mess.

So, there it is. I'm a parenting failure. May The Force be with me.

Noah: "Mom, my hands are feeling angry."
Mom: "Why?"
Noah: "Because they haven't been able to play Xbox today."

2 comments:

Collings said...

I know this is an old post..but it is so funny!

The Ahlstrom Family said...

How did I miss this post! I love it - and it's so nice to hear that other parents are giving in to the video game playing because, although we know it's not the best choice for our kids all the time, there are some distinct advantages. :) May the force be with all of us.