I received a progress report on my youngest child’s social skills group. (Hey! Its free!)
Anyway so I usually just scan these things but I noticed it had a section of “Parent’s will do” and listed a bunch of things I’m expected to do at home to “facilitate” the socialization of my son. I read them and realized these were all doable and he and his brother would probably enjoy doing it. Board games, tell me stories while you STAND STILL you bouncing monkey! Or stop and crouch down to his level when we’re having a conversation.
Then I realized… hell! When am I going to find the time to do this! Who do they think I am Jane Jetson! My conversations with him usually consist of yelled questions and answers from across the house as we both multi-task.
He’s bouncing around the house, lost in his own thoughts, passing time spinning something bendy. I’m doing soooo many other things! I yell up at him, “Conor are you dressed yet?” The pounding footsteps stop, “No, I got distracted!” Which I expected so I yell, “Get dressed for school!”
When I chuckled over finding time to talk to him face to face I suddenly had an epiphany. What if my compulsive multi-tasking ability has created or at least added to his ADD tendencies. (It’s a Mom thing… this blame ourselves stuff… but logic gets us both in and out of it!) Never mind that ADHD runs in my side of the family and his older brother is the same way. I’m suddenly worried that IF I’d played more, one on one with him, got on his level and talked to him more that he wouldn’t tend to get so bored and wander away from his peers when he’s supposed to be playing with them.
The only time I got on his eye level to talk to him was when I was trying to calm him down when he was pitching a fit. Other than that, when any kid is talking to me, I’m usually doing something and answering them without glancing up once. Of course, that does add to the “Mommy has super powers” myth we’ve been perpetuating with children since the dawn of time! Really, its just good deduction skills but THEY don’t know that. They come running into the kitchen where I’m cooking… “No food,” I state and they stare at me open-mouthed. Duh!
Where was I? Oh yeah, GUILT!
So I’ve resolved to play more board games with my youngest who seems to finally be at an age to enjoy it. The middle one will be thrilled as he loves board games and so do I. Ah.. but I wonder how thrilled they will all be when they can’t watch t.v. or play Wii on Board game day!
God its fun to be evil!