Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Cooperation

I have great kids. Really. They're smart and creative, entertaining and introspective, thoughtful and loving.

However.

Sometimes they cause me to be speechless. Sometimes they pull a stunt that is particularly ridiculous. More than once I've called my mother-in-law to ask such things as: 'Is the child supposed to be able to scale such heights at this young age?' and 'But why does the child insist on surfing toys down the stairs...repeatedly?' and 'At what age exactly did your son stop talking without pause?' Because surely, such behaviour must be intrinsic to my In-Law's side of the family. Because otherwise, I'd be tempted to call in a professional. Mostly for my sanity as such things make absolutely no sense to me. And I had a couple of brothers and a testosterone-heavy set of older cousins.

It's been quite a while since any stunt-like implausible behaviour has happened. Sure enough, as soon as I let down my guard, R shows me the lump on his head.

A half hour after said lump was inflicted on his person. By a snow shovel. Wielded by his sister. Because they were 'play fighting' in the snow. What does a mother say to that??!

Who swings a snowshovel at anyone's head?!!?!?? No wonder he was lying down in the driveway he that he had supposedly gone out to shovel!

Anyway, as they say, 'all's well that ends well'. I found my words. K apologized and R was forgiving. It was cold enough out that any swelling had been kept to a minimum. Perhaps the bruise will be unnoticeable...there, on the middle of his forehead. <sigh>

The driveway did get shoveled and soon enough the two of them were holed up at the computer working on a project together. R dictates and organizes while K types.

So what is it? A small lapse in common sense due to burgeoning hormones? Were they stunned by the cold? Perhaps there is something to the 'violent video games = violent children' argument. Whatever it is, it's fleeting. As most of the time, it is just the two of them, holed up somewhere working on something, helping each other, putting up with the other. I think they would be lost without the other around.

6 comments:

Jennifer Pearson Vanier said...

Oh Bonni. Those days come and go and are always a surprise. I should tell you about the day my son found some darts...

A proverb I read somewhere:
one wont, two might, three must.

Just be glad you don't have three kids!

Romany said...

It was probably just a Physics experiment.

:-)

Shannon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shannon said...

I have to laugh. I do have three kids - all boys. There must be some truth to that proverb because one on his own is almost the perfect child; two usually can get through with little squabbling or silliness; three? look out! lol! We've determined that it doesn't even matter which combinations of them are paired up - things go well until that third one is added to the mix.

Sadly, I have to admit, duelling snowshovels has made an appearance at our house on more than one occasion with varying degrees of injuries and parental open-mouthedness at the sheer stupidity of the act.

jugglingpaynes said...

Ah, the fun of siblings. Did I mention that Marina flipped Chase last year when he was annoying her? He was so impressed he used the move for one of his self-defense techniques for his black belt.

It's a sibling thing. And probably a mid winter cabin fever thing as well. But I do think I saw the shovel move in a couple of horror flicks. What movies have you been watching? :o)

Peace and Laughter!
Cristina

Anonymous said...

Who better to experiment on than an accomodating brother? At least, that is the excuses I hear around here ("...but she WANTED to play!")