Sharing the News with Ben
As Sam was growing up, I frequently shared the newspaper with him and discussing what we read was a common mealtime practice. But when Sam went to college so went my news mate. Now I attempt to share interesting articles with Ben and it’s proven to be the highlight of our day when I do.
On Monday in zero degree weather, Ben and Denis had the bright idea to run 2 miles outside in T shirts and shorts. Denis even went shirtless for a while. Ben and his friends thought it was pretty funny. Later in the week when I shared with him a blurb I read on the Internet about a woman whose eyeballs froze while ice skating, he replied, “jeez Mom, just relax, it was funny”. Somehow I think if I had found an article about a man freezing his penis off, it might have made a bigger impression.
Tuesday during the news, I shushed him so I could listen to the local broadcast. At the mention of a winter storm, he shushed me back, informing me that it was important. When the weatherman predicted 9-12 inches on Wednesday, he happily proclaimed “that’s like 3 feet, we won’t have school”. My first thought was, “what kind of math was that?” and my second was “great….another day to play video games”.
The following week was Regents Testing last week and Ben only had school on Monday. He was thrilled, me not so much. After playing video games for two straight days, I shared with him parts of an article in Time called “How Video Games May Contribute to Mental Illness”. I read out loud about how addicted gamers tended to be more aggressive, antisocial and were at higher risk for developing depression, anxiety and social phobias. His reply, "those are no- lifers who live in their Mother’s basement and play video games all day”. Ben left the room and went back down to the basement to play more video games. I hadn’t even gotten to the article about “Tiger Moms”.
I have been tempted more times than I can count to share with him the article about the Mother who shot and killed her children because they were too mouthy, but I can’t do it. When he called me selfish and posted that I was lazy on Facebook, I still couldn’t do it. It was too horrific. Even though there are times I could box his ears, there is something so endearingly sweet about him in this awkward phase of boyhood, that I just want to hug him (in public). Underneath the floppy hair, lanky body and stinky soccer clothes, there is a good man waiting to show himself. There will be a lot of stumbling along the way, but he will find his way. First though, he has to get out of the basement.
On Monday in zero degree weather, Ben and Denis had the bright idea to run 2 miles outside in T shirts and shorts. Denis even went shirtless for a while. Ben and his friends thought it was pretty funny. Later in the week when I shared with him a blurb I read on the Internet about a woman whose eyeballs froze while ice skating, he replied, “jeez Mom, just relax, it was funny”. Somehow I think if I had found an article about a man freezing his penis off, it might have made a bigger impression.
Tuesday during the news, I shushed him so I could listen to the local broadcast. At the mention of a winter storm, he shushed me back, informing me that it was important. When the weatherman predicted 9-12 inches on Wednesday, he happily proclaimed “that’s like 3 feet, we won’t have school”. My first thought was, “what kind of math was that?” and my second was “great….another day to play video games”.
The following week was Regents Testing last week and Ben only had school on Monday. He was thrilled, me not so much. After playing video games for two straight days, I shared with him parts of an article in Time called “How Video Games May Contribute to Mental Illness”. I read out loud about how addicted gamers tended to be more aggressive, antisocial and were at higher risk for developing depression, anxiety and social phobias. His reply, "those are no- lifers who live in their Mother’s basement and play video games all day”. Ben left the room and went back down to the basement to play more video games. I hadn’t even gotten to the article about “Tiger Moms”.
I have been tempted more times than I can count to share with him the article about the Mother who shot and killed her children because they were too mouthy, but I can’t do it. When he called me selfish and posted that I was lazy on Facebook, I still couldn’t do it. It was too horrific. Even though there are times I could box his ears, there is something so endearingly sweet about him in this awkward phase of boyhood, that I just want to hug him (in public). Underneath the floppy hair, lanky body and stinky soccer clothes, there is a good man waiting to show himself. There will be a lot of stumbling along the way, but he will find his way. First though, he has to get out of the basement.
OMG - he has to get out of the basement first! Cracked me up! Boys....
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