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Some days I feel like I'm in a parenting comic.
On the way to pick up Andrew, Ian had a discussion with me about gender.
On the way home, Andrew out of the blue asked if we will have another baby...because we could play more games if we had another player in the family.
You know you have a gamer when they want a sibling to increase the gaming pool? Sigh.
Also? Be careful what you ask for and how you phrase it.
Me, some while ago: "Ian, sometimes you just come up and start talking, but I'm in the middle of something. You get frustrated when I don't listen; I get frustrated because I missed some of what you said. Instead, can you say 'Mom, can I tell you something?' and then wait until I say 'yes' and turn my attention to you, and then tell me?"
Ian, then: "Sure! Mom, can I tell you something?"
...
Ian, now: "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Me: "Yes."
Ian: (Tells me something.) "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Me: "...yes."
Ian: (Tells me the next sentence of the same thing.) "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Etc. This can go on for six or eight repeats.
I asked for this but this was not what I meant! Now to find a way to phrase the correction that will walk it back just enough but not too much. It's hard in the moment, because I'm just sitting there thinking, *don't reply with "can I stop you?", don't*....
On the way to pick up Andrew, Ian had a discussion with me about gender.
On the way home, Andrew out of the blue asked if we will have another baby...because we could play more games if we had another player in the family.
You know you have a gamer when they want a sibling to increase the gaming pool? Sigh.
Also? Be careful what you ask for and how you phrase it.
Me, some while ago: "Ian, sometimes you just come up and start talking, but I'm in the middle of something. You get frustrated when I don't listen; I get frustrated because I missed some of what you said. Instead, can you say 'Mom, can I tell you something?' and then wait until I say 'yes' and turn my attention to you, and then tell me?"
Ian, then: "Sure! Mom, can I tell you something?"
...
Ian, now: "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Me: "Yes."
Ian: (Tells me something.) "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Me: "...yes."
Ian: (Tells me the next sentence of the same thing.) "Mom, can I tell you something?"
Etc. This can go on for six or eight repeats.
I asked for this but this was not what I meant! Now to find a way to phrase the correction that will walk it back just enough but not too much. It's hard in the moment, because I'm just sitting there thinking, *don't reply with "can I stop you?", don't*....
