I'm a Crappy Disciplinarian

Funny that MomLogic  ran an interesting post today about discipline throughout the decades and tonight I failed miserably at keeping my kids in line.  Picture the scene:  A toy store.  We're on a mission to buy three gifts for parties that are scheduled this weekend, the store is closing in less than 20 minutes and my kids are like kids in a candy/toy store.   In a word, wild.  After spending 10 minutes getting gifts and cards, the kids meandered to the front of the store and then the touching began.

My daughter was obsessed with the webkinz display and kept on "girlhandling" every animal she saw.  My son in the meantime was attached to the candy section - pawing the sour gummy worms and chocolate and while I attempted to pay I tried to use the sternest voice I had to keep then in line - but do you think they listened and put their hands down?  Oh no.  Not my two little angels. It wasn't until the store manager told them to stop touching the toys that they finally stopped.  Thoroughly embarrassed, I grabbed our gifts and we left the store and I proceeded to inform both of them that they wouldn't be seeing the inside of a toy store for several months and they shouldn't expect any more goodies until their birthdays (in April and May).  

Then we drove home and I realized that I had bought them a gift (before they had acted up) and while I initially planned not to give it to them, I was tired and I acquiesced and gave them the toy anyway.  Bad move.  

Later that night when my husband came home, he instantly sent the kids to their rooms and after having a heart to heart with my son, he discovered I bought them a gift despite their horrendous behavior.   And so, now I'm being made to feel guilty for buying my kids a gift as punishment for misbehaving.  Okay - I know - I'm a pushover but I had been working all day and all I wanted was peace and quiet.  Is that so bad?  I guess I should have put the toy back and let my kids cry about the fact that they were going home empty-handed, but instead, I did the opposite and now feel like a total loser. I can't keep my kids in line in public and my husband thinks my kids walk all over me when I tell them to stop being bad.  I'm not a bad mom.  Just a tired one.   

GONE WITH THE WIND...THE TALE OF THE MISSING NINTENDO

It's a sad day in Feldman-ville. My five year old son, who has been addicted to his Nintendo the last two months and can show his friends how to maneuver through eight levels on Super Mario Bros., and even has a blister on his index finger from playing the darn thing so much, has officially lost his prized possession. He had it before we went out to dinner with our friends and their kids tonight but after he got the chance to ride home with them in their car, he jumped out without his Nintendo and then when he attempted to find it, it was gone.

Into thin air - his favorite toy has just completely disappeared. I can't imagine how no one has been able to find it. I made sure to check the table at the restaurant and even the floor and even called the maitre'd but there was no sign of the Nintendo.

And so, my little boy went to bed in tears tonight - his favorite toy in the whole wide world is gone. Gone with the wind. I bet Rhett and Scarlett never thought their romance would be reduced to a story about a missing Nintendo but such is life when your world revolves around technology. And now, my dilemma is do I buy him a new DS with 4 new games or let him mope around the house until his next birthday?

I know I should teach him a lesson and make him appreciate his toys by showing him what can happen when you lose them, but when he flashes those puppy dog eyes at me and the tears start flowing down his precious cheeks, I just melt. Something tells me I'll be hitting Target tomorrow for a black Nintendo with a handy dandy Sponge Bob carrying case. And this time around - like an episode of the Brady Bunch we're instituting a new rule pronto...Mom always said - don't bring the Nintendos outside the house!

Wii for Me!

My family has officially migrated over to the technological dark side. While we are pretty antiquated when it comes to embracing advances in new technology - like buying an HDTV or getting the kids Nintendo DS's three years after they were actually popular, we have finally entered the 21st century and are the proud owners of a Wii.

It's not because my husband and I camped out at Target at 8am to purchase said product, but luckily for us, my in-laws did instead. When I received a call at 8:20am this morning from my mother-in-law who informed us they had just snagged one of the last Wii's in the store, I have to admit, I was giddy with excitement. What is it about the Wii that has eveyone going wild?

We picked up the Wii tonight and after spending an hour hooking the thing up (not the Wii's fault, my new HDTV is totally not cooperating), my kids started to play baseball and I was amazed. You literally feel as if you are pitching and hit the ball! Now I have to tell those folks at Nintendo, they should give the players on the field legs, but other than looking like odd weeble wobbles with goatees and menacing looks, the games are pretty freakin' fun.

Granted, I haven't had a chance to play the game just yet. I am actually waiting for the kids to go to sleep (it's currently 10:38 pm) so that I can try my hand at tennis. Considering I've blown off the retirement league these last few weeks, maybe I can get my game up before I head back into the yenta tennis fray.

So here's to the Wii - I am officially part of the club, and I'm pretty psyched. Now if only my kids would go to sleep so we (my husband and I) can play a round of golf, tennis and bowling without ever getting off the couch. I'm going to have the most toned arms in Westchester - my butt and thighs are a whole different story but maybe next year's version will come with a stationery bike.

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Batteries Not Included

Can someone tell me the name of the person who invented batteries so I can personally send a letter to their family (since I know he's long gone by now) about how much I can't stand using them? It's bad enough when your child gets a toy for their birthday and the box mentions in fine print that batteries are not included and the person who purchased the gift failed to include those magical metal ingredients. And so, you're left with a kid who is super excited to try out his 5 foot tall remote control robot but all he can do is stare at it and pretend it works.

Here's the problem - it's not like I have C batteries, and D's and 1.5 volts and triple A's at my disposal. AA's? Sure, I have em - but that's because they're a staple item, like ketchup. But once you get those toys that take 39 batteries to power them up, we're pretty much up a creek without a paddle. While plenty of their double A toys are running smooth as silk and we even change the duracells from time to time, unfortunately, the complicated projects that require more juice usually wind up on a shelf collecting dust. Sure my son is excited for the moment about playing with his super duper action hero that can walk, fly and speak six languages, but let five minutes pass after I've told him we don't have batteries and he'll drop the gadget like a hot tamale and grab his Nintendo or hit the computer.

So the moral of my battery tirade is this - from here on out toymakers - make sure your toys are made with rechargeable batteries that are included in the box along with a charger. That way, your brilliant creation will get more play time with my impatient kindergartener. Not that I want to put the battery folks out of business, but who has time to find batteries, insert them with microscopic screwdrivers and then replace them once they've gone dead. Certainly not me...that's my kids - gotta run before they come at me with a toy that needs a triple C.

Tissues, Toilet Paper and Sales Receipts

Since I no longer travel with a diaper bag (ummm, that would be two years and counting), I am the most unprepared mother in my neighborhood. When my kid sneezed this morning and a big booger appeared under his button nose just as we're about to hop into Dunkin Donuts, I frantically searched for something to clean up the green gooky mess.

Sure, I could have taken him inside and grabbed a napkin, but that would have meant risking being seen by the visitors I practically see every morning since we frequent the place at least 5 times a week. So, I reached into my bag and pulled out a crisp, clean, sales receipt from the party center I visited yesterday to pick up supplies for my daughter's birthday. Yes, I grabbed whatever I could find and wiped his nose clean with a sales receipt. I then grabbed the Dunkin Donuts napkins and cleaned up the residue but I was desperate and thankfully, my bag is filled with paper products I'll never use again.

So that's my tip for busy moms on the run - don't throw out those sales receipts, sure you won't be able to show them to the IRS once you get audited, but at least your kids' nose will be clean as a whistle.