The Video Game Battle

 

Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE this stuff?  If I knew then (25 years ago) what I know now I would never have allowed it into my house.  I know that some of you would strongly disagree with this but that is how I feel about it.  If you allow it to, it will take over your mind and your life.  It makes a peaceful home... not so peaceful.  Over the last year or so I have had this battle going on in my house.  Jami would eat, breath, sleep video games if I would allow it.  If fact that is what she has been doing for the past few months.  When she has them, that is all she can think about.  The rule is that she go to her program every day without her Nintendo DS so that she can take a break and just concentrate on her day without any distractions.  She gets sneaky sometime and she will take it with her and then when I catch her she loses it.  The last time she lost her "gaming" privileges she went without for over 2 months.  She got involved in doing puzzles, she made some loom hats, she started coloring.  During those months she was so nice to be around and she didn't get angry quite so easy.  Then she started asking for it back and I reluctantly gave in.  Well now we are back in the angry mode, uncooperative, lazy, distracted, and down right rude.  Last night I went in there to remind her that she needed to take a shower.... one of our biggest battles.  She turned off the game and went right into a television program.  I went back a few minutes later and pointed out that she wasn't even involved in any show before she turned off the game and that she should have just went in and taken the shower and her reply was, "well I am now".  I told her that if she didn't get her shower tonight then she was going to lose something.  She looked right at me and she said, "you remember what happened the last time you pissed me off?"  I said right back to her, "well okay then, do you remember what happened the last time YOU pissed me off?"  and I walked out.  Right away she knew what she had done and was following me with her apologies.  Well it was too late for that so today she may or may not be aware of what life will be like for some time to come.  The last time she was rude like that to me she knew the minute she walked out of the house.  She called me on her cell phone and asked me if I was packing it all up and said she was sorry.  She didn't call me today so she might be surprised when she gets home.  I am not looking forward to the next few days of her adjusting without her addiction.  

I have been thinking about this problem for a long time.  The problem isn't just Jami.  I have made this a matter of fasting and prayer.  During this past General Conference I was listening to the Sunday afternoon session when I got my answer.  This talk was just for me.  It was a talk called "Courageous Parenting" by Elder Larry R. Lawrence http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-30,00.html

He said everything that I needed to hear.  TODAY I am being courageous.  It's not easy.  I know that I may give in again and let some of it back in but I am trying.  All you young parents out there, I hope you can be more courageous than I was and not allow this stuff to stunt your children's growth.

And that is the way I see it.  What do you think?