Two Christmases down, one to go. My family is today with
Grandpa Bob Bob and Grandma Jean Jean. So over the river literally and on the
slab (Tom’s reference to the highway leading to my parent’s community about 40
minutes away) we go. Having a day off in between Christmas Day and today was a
necessary coincidence. After the excitement of Christmas Eve with Tom’s family
and our own family Christmas, Sidney was able to unwind a bit. That is until
she realized the next day she was seeing her cousin Finn.
This year she created gifts for everyone. I watched her
making pictures out of all of her art supplies. When I was looking away,
massive quantities of scotch tape were used in the construction of these
masterpieces. I went to find some decorative fabric ribbon for Sunday School
gifts. The new rolls I bought mysteriously went missing. One time around the
wrapped package isn’t enough according to what I found later when it was too
late. Double it up around the package. Note to self. Keep my eye on her craft
supply intake.
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| If only fake facial hair were real facial hair. |
This occasion is one of a couple over this particular
holiday that I’ve had to maintain an extreme level of patience. She is on
sensory overload. There is an official term for what she is doing, but Tom and
I call it spinning. Flighty, from one activity to the next without much focus,
cranky behavior, easier meltdowns. Eli on the other hand is in heaven. No amount of relaxation
is enough. And when your aunt has supplied movies for gifts and a friend has
given you candy for the class exchange, well that’s about all a boy needs.
Factor in the cell phone received for a gift, and you have a recipe for a happy
tween. I could go on for hours about all the discussions Tom and I had before
making this purchase. Should we get him one? Should we wait? Is it really
necessary? Can he continue to use my phone while we are gone despite the fact
that it is inconvenient, because I can’t immediately email my clients back
which I insist upon doing if at all possible. In the end, the practical
decision was for him to have a phone.
My friend wrote a great contract for her son when he
received his phone. It includes things like the phone being on the counter in the
kitchen in the same spot by 9PM every night plugged in. Parents have ultimate
control, meaning it can be taken away at any time. Having the phone is a privilege.
In addition, we thought it completely unnecessary for him to have a smartphone.
He has a tablet he earned a couple of summers ago working off the money for me
doing chores. Tom and I discussed how frightening the internet truly can be,
factoring in access anytime over a phone with a 12 year old. The phone and text
is necessary in our daily lives. Internet access for a tween anytime is not.
Okay, time to start another day!
