I had an issue with fibbing when I was younger.
I didn't realize I was a writer yet (and writer's tell stories) and I didn't know how much damage lies caused.
Now, when I have a big whopper I want to share, I write and call it fiction, or put it in my journal and save it for the personality of a future character I may be writing about.
I also have an issue with punishment. I don't like punishing my kids (although I did last night and am most definitely NOT sorry for it). For me, natural consequences are more... natural.
Here comes the lie.
This weekend my son did something very dangerous (that I plan on sharing in a more detailed post) that led to the electricity being gone in half of the house. There were dire consequences for that, but he doesn't seem to mind them.
Its hot because he broke the fan with his electric travesura. No big deal, he doesn't mind it being a little warmer.
The plumbing is making weird noises because the pump got thrown off. No big deal, he thinks the noises are funny. His "ghost" aka imaginary friend, all of a sudden has a voice.
I had to figure out where all our electric outlets were and even bother our neighbors because, well, condo living. No big deal for him, talking to the neighbors, just makes a big party.
I KNEW he wouldn't really mind any of the Natural Consequences that came with his actions.
Even if I did mom voice every time he brought up that something wasn't working because of his actions.
SO I FUCKED WITH THE TELEVISION
That's right, before I turned the lights back on, I disconnected the TV, knowing that he was too smart and would just reconnect it, I messed with the outlets, AND I told my big kid that if she fixed it before I was ready for it to get fixed, then SHE would be in big trouble.
And she doesn't like that.
So the TV has been "broken" since Saturday.
And my son is oh so sorry that he broke the tv. He keeps asking for grandpa to come over to fix it, or maybe his daddy, doesn't momma have any friends that fix electric stuff. NOPE.
And now that it is Tuesday, and his is banging on his drums instead of watching tv, and drawing and making books, I am wondering... Is it time to keep the television broken?
Before I was married, I lived a television free life. I would let my kid watch one movie per day on her portable DVD player and that was that. Since getting married, I have had to fight constantly and consistently to keep only ONE television in the house, and to have times when the television has to be turned off.
Well, I don't live with my husband anymore.
And my children crying that they want a tv should be as easy to ignore, as I ignore their pleas for soda.
"But you let us drink soda at grandma's house!"
And now they can go to Grandma's house to watch tv AND drink soda.
Image by Jackie Ramirez from Pixabay
If only I wasn't surrounded by family members so ready to gift me spare televisions when mine break. (Yes, they do think it is cruel for me to leave them televisionless. Good think I know the opposite is true, I just don't bother to argue it.)
