“I’m bored.”
“What would you like to do?”
“I don’t know.”
This is a very typical Saturday morning conversation and one
we had again this morning. How are our children so fed up with the world
when they have so much?
The fact that there is homework to be done, Lego all over
the floor to be tidied and a piano to practice in preparation for his grade one
exam is all immaterial and uninspiring.
We kind of struck a deal, the kind of bargaining you always
vow you won’t do as you slide so easily into its sticky trap. At least I do, I
put it down to being a solo parent but that’s an excuse and I really am a
pushover.
“Write me a list of three things you would like to do and I’ll
write my list.”
Hoping this would generate a plan for the day I handed over
a sheet of note paper. Then I set about
writing my own list.
- Have a day off from being mum
- Go for a walk on the beach followed by hot chocolate and a chocolate brownie at a café
- Spend the day knitting and sewing
It was obvious that number one and number three were
completely unattainable but would a twelve year old boy go for the chocolaty
option of number 2 on this bright sunny day?
His list was shorter as he could only think of two things he
wanted.
- Have a friend round
- Go to a friend’s
Spending the day with his mum didn’t even make his top 3. I
had suspected a game of something to be added to the list and I wouldn’t have
minded if some homework, tidying up and piano was done first.
The trouble with Saturdays (Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays
too for that matter) is they always seem to me to be family days and I don’t
like to disturb other people having a nice time together on their day off.
I don’t know where this idea has come from. Why I believe
other families are having a jolly day out together while my boys sit at home -
bored!
“Wouldn’t you like a walk and a hot chocolate?”
“No.”
So he now has a friend round to play.
“I was glad you rang,” said his dad, “he was just
complaining he was BORED.”
So maybe by a strange twist of fate I get to do number 3 on my list after all…
...and everybody's happy!
A good result in the end! I hope you got some peace once your son had his friend round.
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