Thursday, June 19, 2008

Smash Bros and no Wii in Sight

There are parents who take a very strong stance against children playing video games all day. During the school year our kids are not allowed to play them on school nights. Well, it's summer break [and five million degrees outside] here and we've been enjoying Wii Fit and Wii Sports as a family for hours at a time. I can already tell that I'm going to be doing a free fall onto the toilet after all the squatting from Wii ski jump, and do not be surprised if I eventually develop a case of Wii tennis elbow or sprain a hip from Wii hula hoop. I welcome the camaraderie the video games present. Because Tuesday afternoon I switched off the games and ordered my children to enjoy the warm summer evening outside. It wasn't long before I heard a suspicious fracas, and found my boys on the front lawn literally beating the shit out of each other. My neighbor's son, home from college for the summer and washing his car; stood there mouth agape looking as if he wasn't sure he should intervene and I'm thinking to myself, "You're washing your car turn the hose on them, Bucko!". Boy-Child#2's nose was bloodied and it was in his mouth (the blood not his nose) and I feared he'd lost some teeth as well. And people question why I don't let them walk home from school together on minimum days. This. This is why. They can go from being the best of friends to fisticuffs in a hot second. Boy-Child#1 is usually a pretty mellow fella. Even when he's happy and excited it's kinda hard to tell. He inherited much of the cool Fin from Mr. Farklepants' side of the family. But Boy-Child#2 inherited all of the feisty Irish from yours truly. His quick temper is always brewing just below the surface. I'm sure yesterday's mêlée had more to do with Boy-Child#2 trying to hold his own in front of the older neighborhood kids. Or just maybe it was our trip to the movies earlier in the day to see Kung Fu Panda (in a theater that had recently been vomited in judging by the lingering scent) that had them demonstrating their unfathomable terror fury and crouching tiger smoking bear defense and other imaginary Kung Fu moves. I know after seeing GI Jane years ago, I had my moment where I wanted to join the Navy SEALS, shave my head BALD, and kick some major ass.

Who was it that was just complaining about parents who keep their kids busy in day camps all summer? Who has egg on her face now? And who was the genius who grounded them from video games for this infraction? -because you can't let ass whoopin' go unpunished- That would be me. Upon further thought, post punishment smack down, I realized that if they were in the house playing video games they'd at least be within eye sight rather than outside and within ear shot. I hate it when my mouth beats my brain to the punch. The end.

Pop quiz: How many synonyms for "fight" were used in the creation of this post? Answer: too many

30 comments:

Kalynne Pudner said...

If I know college boys -- and I do, having been mother to one and teacher to a few hundred -- your neighbor's son was thinking, "Man! How cool would it be to get in on that! Stand aside, li'l buddies -- Chuck Norris is ON HIS WAY! -- oh, wait, I might go to jail for this. Crap. But, man...!"

Madame Queen said...

Yikes! SO glad I only have one boy.

Threeundertwo said...

All I'm saying is. . .it must be "post your kids fight day" today.

Anonymous said...

Um...don't feel bad. I also have just 1 boy and a girl. They fight like dogs too.

Ann said...

I think it's the full moon. Everyone's inner bitch was out in FULL force yesterday. Boys included.

Amy said...

I guess I can be somewhat gratefull - my kids fight but not like this. (Well not yet anyway - they're only 7 and 4!)

Glennis said...

My son has had only one fight in his life, and that was in preschool with his best friend. to this day, neither he nor his friend can remember what it was about, and it was over almost as quickly as it started. It totally shocked the teachers, since these two were such good friends.

Allison said...

I love the Wii and I can't wait to get Wii Fit and Rockband. I think it's funny that sometimes the Wii will tell you to go outside and take a break from it. Ummm...no!

dkuroiwa said...

We don't have a WII...yet...only a GameBoy and a Nintendo DS between the 2 boys (10 and 5)....house rules state that no games are allowed Mon-Thurs. My oldest told me one time that if they had the games on those other days, I wouldn't get so angry becuase they wouldn't fight as much.
I almost fell for it...and after a "couch fight" (very much resembling your "yard fight", but without so much blood!) I too was questioning my thought processes on that decision.
Not looking forward to the 12 hour plane ride just to get stateside next month....must find some goooood allergy meds for them...Bloody Mary for mom!!

katydidnot said...

fisticuffs and melee were especially good.

smalltownme said...

I have two boys, and they've never had a physical fight (although there was much verbal bickering when they were younger). As long as their homework is done I don't have strict rules about how much they play. But I will make them take a break if they've been at it too long.

And it was the moon! It was too freaking bright last night!

Jennifer S said...

My girl is the one with the temper here, but she hasn't drawn blood yet. So your boys win by a nose(bleed).

I wish I could make my kids go outside more often, but our back yard sucks (un-landscaped desert backyard that's blazing hot in the summer). Can't wait to move. So I can lock them out and make them play outside.

Anonymous said...

How about no videogames AND if you bitch about it or fight with each other, extra toilet cleaning duty?

ms-teacher said...

Luckily, my two boys haven't come to blows yet. There is a four year age difference and so I think that the older one realizes he could (at 16) could do some serious damage to his younger brother (who is 12) if it ever got to the point.

It has come close though and it's why I rarely ever leave them by themselves.

I'm looking at getting the Wii Fit - what do you think about it?

Anonymous said...

I think the urge to beat the shit out of each other is all in the chromosones because my 3 year old frequently asks house guests "Wanna see my awesome moves?" and then follows that up with a kick to their shin and a loud "Hi-yaaaaa!" Only to be finish with a dusting off with his hands saying, "THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT!"

I'm pretty sure I did not nurture that. It's nature.

Swirl Girl said...

I count 9 synonym if we include euphemisms...

so glad I have 2 girls ;)

www.swirlgirlspearls.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

I wondered if you'd take back the no camp statement! :) That's boys. You never know what they will end up doing.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

We rarely have real "out of anger" fighting. We do, however have cage matches. Everyone (including the girls) knows how to tap out.

I fought the fighting for so long and then I just got tired.

When they're older you'll be happy you stuck to your no endless summer camp stance. They actually know how to entertain THEMSELVES.

Anonymous said...

It's gonna be a long summer for you and I both kiddo.

Feeling your pain.

scargosun said...

I am imagining one of those cartoon fights where the chaacters are just rolling around and all you see is a big cloud of dust. Boys fighting, what are ya going to do? :)

JCK said...

I remember well my brothers fighting. I don't envy you in this one, but do have some LOUD shrieking preschoolers who hit that I could send your way. Just for kicks!


Ah yes...summer camp. A great, great thing! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my, the testosterone levels rise with the temperatures. College boys SHOULD have turned his hose on the little buggers!!!

Karen said...

I feel the love. Our kids have the same feelings toward one another.

Meg said...

Sounds like your boy child would get along great with my girl child. I have never seen such a rough and tumble girl as this.

You might want to rethink that "no video games" stance though, and maybe send them off to day camps :)

Nora said...

I've heard this about boys. Shoot.

Manager Mom said...

We just got a Wii YESTERDAY and I am already using it as grounding leverage, thinking to myself, "I hope they don't figure out how full of crap I am, because I am definitely not taking that away."

The Wii Hula hoop game sounds awesome!

Wineplz said...

Cooper already climbs all over Gavin, so it will be interesting in a few years. But hopefully it doesn't ever escalate to fisticuffs (ha!) because I think that within about 2 years Cooper will be bigger than Gavin. :(

I do remember my brothers fighting, though. The youngest one was such a damn instigator that if he wasn't so much bigger than me I think I woulda kicked his ass just for being annoying! (all my bros were bigger than me by the time they were 11 or 12...big surprise, right?)

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

Dude (yes I called you dude), I can't get past all those french accent marks you got on melee. Impressive.

Plus, you just described my entire week.

KEEP BELIEVING

Unknown said...

UM, yeah. Hi. College boy home? I'm so over there. Yum.

Donna-Michele said...

we all fought physically, boys and girls...even with the cousins...but if we drew blood, we knew to hide it unless we thought it needed stitches...quickest way to get punished at our house was bloody a younger child, so I always fought up. Our mom was really good at punishment... throwing away (crap) like magazines that she wanted to toss anyway, but that we thought we would die without...giving extra chores....nasty ones like cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing baseboards...cleaning the basement and foregoing any activity we wanted to attend. She also was creative in other ways... if we were in the house on a summer day because we were bored... take a lap...and if you dont think of something to do...take another (around the house). Physical punishment was to stand awkwardly and be quiet, or hug and kiss to make up....she would also spank or punish in front of friends or in public....knowing this we were really well behaved...and or tried really hard not to be caught