Rant about School Beginning

Count down till school begins a week from today.  No, I’m not excited for it to start, but I think the kids need it to get on with their lives. They don’t push themselves beyond the very minimum. No, Whitney has performed amazingly during gym intensive and gymnastics this summer. She’s pursued the gym party and practice leotard like Daniel has pursued computer games. And Shannon has run like a gazelle during cross country practice and Jodi Benson’s High Altitude Running camp. But, Daniel is another matter. Daniel has been rising early to PLAY in the great outside world. “NOT!” Rather he plays Brawl or League of Legends. He sneaks and then plays.  Sneaks. Plays.  Groundings for sneakings. Finally, Bob helps me to revamp the groundings when they accumulate and get so long that Daniel is grounded for eternity because he has nothing to lose by sneaking.  The new idea is to do special things that mom thinks of and earn gaming time. Special things like drawing, writing, reading…..can you believe that…..reading is a chore for Daniel. It’s a chore for all of them except Whitney.  This is ridiculous. “OK, I’ll read to you.  I’ll give YOU time for gaming by ME reading to you!”   Can you believe that gaming time is being exchanged for being read stories.  This is ridiculous.  I should be given angel wings for reading to my child.  Big angel wings. I’m an angel mother, right?  Nope. My 9 year old and 19 year old (better not get started on Bradley’s gaming) are addicted to gaming and I let it happen.  I’m not an angel. I’m an idiot.