If ya can't beat em…
…join em! And let them laugh at you while they win.
Yes, I’m talking about video games, as well as MMO gaming on the internet. When’s the last time you played with your teenagers? A while back, Nik Yee over at Incredible Internet surveyed 300+ parents who do exactly that, play onlin games with their kids so that they have a better idea about what’s going on, and how to parent their children in regards to online activities. He has talked with teens and parents over the past year about the experiences and created a podcast to talk about his findings.
Basically – those who play with their kids, have a much better idea of what is really going on. As Parents, we often tend to automatically veto any activity we aren’t sure about. We tend to say no before we even know all the details – and how better to get the details then to jump in and play? Sure, your kids might think your spying on them, but give them the joy of beating you a couple times as you flounder around trying to figure out HOW DO I JUMP OMG QUIT HITTING ME and laugh along with them, and soon they’ll a- be teaching you the ropes, b – be telling your friends that your hopelessly dorky, but in a kinda cool way and c – know that you care enough to be involved, and to help them make the right choices along the way. He’s even got a contract to sign between parents and children that can help all sides feel better about internet use and gaming.
So check out the podcast below, the website as well and get involved with your kids! Who knows, maybe you’ll get good enough to beat THEM!
What online gaming parents know that you don’t from Incredible Internet on Vimeo.
PTB Giveaway Winners!
Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about the giveaway. Those that entered certainly ended up with very good odds, hm? I’d hoped for a bigger turnout, but that’s alright, I know the ones that win will put the books to good use, for sure!
Since there were only 10 entries, I decided to forgo the Random.org, and do things the old fashioned way, with the following three ingredients:
1. a hat – grandpa’s old cowboy hat that the boy loved when he was little
2. names on folded pieces of paper – Homer Bookstore Post It Notes, with little otters
3. and a helper both cute and willing to pick the names out of the hat.
Remember, the first prize gets to choose which of the four books they want, 2nd prize gets to choose from the remaining 3, 3rd prize picks from the remaining 2, and 4th prize gets the remaining book. And here we go – drumroll please…. Without further ado, here are our winners!
1st place goes to Carla Pullum!
2nd place goes to Jewel Girl!
3rd place goes to Pamela!
and 4th place goes to Amanda Sue!
Congrats to all the winners – I’ll shoot you guys an email, in order, so that you can choose your book and give me your addresses so that I can send them to you. Thanks for participating, and enjoy your new reading material!
And special thanks to my cute helper, who – while not a teenager yet – has enough attitude and sass to make me absolutely terrified of the upcoming years. Somebody save me… 🙂
The Leaning Tower of Pizza
Any parent of a teen knows that the hardest part of raising teenagers has nothing to do with the sex talks and the video games and the rebellious spirits and the bad grades and the desperately needed naps. No, the hardest part of raising a teen is keeping them FED. And when I say keeping my teens fed, I really mean my teens, their younger sister, and ALL OF THEIR FRIENDS.
Do you have ANY idea how much teenagers EAT?
The most surprising thing I’ve learned, however, is that feeding teenage girls is ENTIRELY different then feeding teenage boys. With boys, especially with boys that have driver’s licenses and jobs, they simply go to the store and pick up frozen pizzas in a variety of flavors, use the oven (thus heating the whole house – added benefit here in AK!) scarf the spoils of their labors, and leave the pizza boxes on the counter. See the picture to the left – and yes, that is a plate of crusts there in the middle somewhere. That is two nights worth of pizza runs, sure, but still, that’s a LOTTA pizza. Some of our boys are BIG boys, and as we’ve come to expect, the youngest of the group is the biggest of the group! We got a couple of linebackers, and a couple of running backs – none of whom play any sport at all, naturally. The football coaches at the high school have been trying for three years now, without luck.
Boys are easy. It has to follow a couple simple rules – be fast, involve no real prep time, and be eaten immediately. If it takes longer then 2 minutes, then it only works if they can convince the girl to do the actual work. (See: Pizzas.) It also has to involve minimal cleanup. Because they’re not going to do that either, until threatened with bodily harm.
And then there’s the girls. Girls are a completely different animal, and it doesn’t start at teenager, it starts really around age 11 or so. The difference with girls is that they will MAKE something to eat. They don’t mind putting the effort in for a bigger reward, and will actually cook something. This means that NOTHING IN THE PANTRY IS SAFE! If they can conceive it, they will make and eat it. Yes, it boggles the mind, but Teenage girls EAT MORE and better when compared to the simplicity of the boys.
They are also a little more creative when giving a shopping list. For the girl’s last birthday party, the following is what was requested for to fill out their snack table:
Something…
Sweet
Salty
Crunchy
Sour
Chewy
Cold
Fizzy
Chocolate
Can you decipher that? It’s really quite easy. Chips covers both crunchy and salty, Sweet is a variety of hard candies, sour and chewy is covered by sour gummi worms, cold means ice cream, fizzy means soda, and Chocolate means, of course, Chocolate, the more the better.
Then, they raid the pantry, and several of these items are added to or accompany sandwiches, cakes, pasta, etc. They get quite creative, the girls, and there is MUCH giggling. And much cleanup – which is where they side completely with the boys. They won’t touch it, unless threatened with physical harm.
Or the withholding of chocolate. Rule number one in the feeding and care of Teenagers – ALWAYS save the best snacks for bartering and bribing in order to get the dishes done. Or to eat in front of them when they’re too busy groaning at how full they are because they ate too much. MUHAHAHAHA!
Alright, explain!
[Don’t forget about our giveaway! Click here – only two more days to comment for your chance to win!]
Just WHAT is it with teenage boys and pointy, shiny, sharp things?
I blame my husband. He was the same way, as were all of his friends. At any point in time, there was anywhere from 2-6 sharp pointy objects on his person. Pocket knives, box cutters, and for a long time a belt buckle that was actually a tiny little blade. When he and his friends ‘unloaded’ before heading to the airport to go to Vegas for a week, you would not BELIEVE the pile of various sharp pointy objects that covered my coffee table! It was very, very amusing. And sort of disconcerting, but mostly amusing.
The Boy has inherited this love of all things containing a blade and the possibility for injury. He’s also certain he’s inherited the content of the Sword Case, too. We’re still negotiating that. He has already started his own collection of various blades and swords that he and his buddies mix, match and combine often – including practice swords made of bamboo to fight with his friends. I didn’t know this, of course, until recently. It went a little something like this. Two days after the fact.
Me: Good lord boy – is that a bruise or are you really that in need of a shower?
Boy: It’s a bruise..
Me: (examines it closer – including the fact that his wrist was SWOLLEN and the whole bruise, about the size of my palm, was painful to the touch) WTF? Who hit you? What happened?
Boy: Um. So, we were fighting with the bamboo swords, and it was dark and I kinda can’t see well in the dark like you and I went to block, and I missed and blocked with my hand instead of the sword…
Me: ….. doesn’t it hurt? (Not gonna lie, I poked it. I CAN’T RESIST a new bruise.. I must poke. MUST.)
Boy: OW! YES MOM! IT HURTS!
Me: Is it broken – I don’t like the look of the swelling… (Calm. Must remain calm.)
Boy: No, see, I can move everything, it’s just a wicked bruise.
Me: Ok. Um, you didn’t say who it was you were dueling..
Boy: S.
Me:…. HAHAHHA YOU GOT BEAT UP BY A GIRL!!!!
Ahem. Yes, the wound inflicted upon my 6’1″ tall son, who’s built like a linebacker, was delivered by a wee slip of a girl who actually has a variation of his own name. Verily, I was amused. Still worried about the bruises, but amused none the less. They’re clearing up fine now, of course, as is the cut he received when he didn’t quite dodge his own hand as he swung around something with an actual blade on it. But still..
…I don’t get it. They get bruises, they wear them with pride. They get cut on occasion, and come in dripping blood to just dab it off, check to see how deep it is (usually not very – I haven’t had to take him in for stitches yet, anyway.) and go back to swinging giant swords at each other again. Or small blades. Or bamboo practice swords. Or… or… or.
And I’m at a loss. Who can explain this love of combat with swords and the like to me? I indulge it, sure. I wince a lot, absolutely. I make sure they know the difference between play fighting, and crossing that line into anger, where all things stop right the heck now before someone REALLY gets hurt. I even oooh and ahhh properly over the latest pretties they’ve acquired.
And I worry… and wonder. WHERE does this come from?
Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?
(And I won’t EVEN get into how old it made me feel when my son said “Who’s Beuller?!” Sigh.)
Homecoming 2008
Oh. mah. gawd. ya’ll.
First there was the shopping. Then there was the primping. The emergency trip for nylons. The last minute attention to flowers. The primping.
THE BOY PUT ON COLOGNE, PEOPLE! AND brushed his hair. AND used gel. INORITE?! And don’t even gt me started on the girls…
Here’s my favorite picture of the bunch:
I know. Awww, right? I just like it. *L* But here’s the Boy and his date, MK, who also happens to be The Girl’s BFF.
HEY! Watch those eyes, boy! (HE says she tickled his back, that’s why he looked at her. We call bullshit! *L*)
The girl and one of my ‘other’ kids went together, because they didn’t have dates, so i made sure both girls had flowers too.
I know, I’m a total softy, but they thought it was cute. And out of all of the kids, only ONE would pose for me willingly. *L* But all in all, they looked ready to have a good time, so I sit here, at home, waiting for the call to pick them up and hear how it all went.
TWO.
TWO in high school.
TWO at the homecoming dance.
I’m so not old enough for this crap.
In other news – Auntie R was here for a couple of days, which made the kids (and me too!) giddy with glee. Every second spent with her is a complete joy, as you can tell by the smiles on their faces…
We’ll have to do it again soon!
ETA: Good time was had by all at Homecoming. They girls just got here (MKs dad picked them up) to gather their things, and I got a speed of light talk of how fun it was even though The Boy isn’t much of a dancer, but he did slow dance twice and they talked and she tried to help him fast dance, and he was just hopeless, and he kept escaping to talk to Z, because she kept trying to get him to dance since they were at a DANCE and all, but whatEVer… he always came back when she asked him too and yeah mom it was really fun and hurray! Oh – and?
MK: so there was this cop, and the boy was wonder what he’d do if I took his billy club, and I was like yeah right he’d steal it back and beat ya with it and you wouldn’t anyway because you’re a good boy and he was all I could and I told him no, because you listen to your mom and he was like ha! so I told him hey, I want to go home and be able to tell my mom that you’re not a delinquent so we can go out again so you will for me… and he was all that’s low, because you’re right. Isn’t that funny?!
Yes. Yes it is. *chuckles* She was ALL smiles, MK. The boy did good. Even if he wouldn’t dance much.
The girl had a good time too, but says next time? She’s getting a -real- date, so she, The boy and MK can double. *L*
ETA Again: The boys just got home – and first question? All hopeful like?
The Boy: So she was really all smiles? Really?
Yes, yes she really was. I told him I’d heard the story about the cop, and he chuckled and said yeah, yeah he’d behave so that he could ask her out again. Awwwwwwww. (someone shoot me now. *L*)
