Entitlement?

It's been a fun summer so far (at least for me)...and we're already a third of the way through it!  So far, we've had picnics, went on hikes at the park, took a road trip to Cincinnati, played on the waterslide and with the hose, visited the library a few times, done crafts and even went on a few scavenger hunts through the woods near our property.  Nate went to a week of art camp at the YMCA and Gabe went to a week of Jedi camp, also.  Adri is also enrolled in a summer gymnastics class.  Nate and Gabe have both had friends over, several times. 

As a mom who's pregnant with her 4th child, this agenda has kept me busy and overly tired...but I've pressed on.  Because summer break is so short this year, I've been intentional about planning things for us to do together, even though there have been days that my feet have swollen to the point where I've wondered where my ankles have gone and despite the fact that Adri's attitude (her 4 year old...going on 16 attitude), has left me wondering if she's 100% human (just keeping it real). 

In lieu of all of this, I've really enjoyed having my kids home.  I looked forward to summer just as much as they did...no routine, no alarm, and no real reason to get dressed in the morning unless we want to.  But I have a confession....THESE KIDS ARE DRIVING ME BONKERS!

They're not making me crazy because their home or because I don't enjoy spending time with the little sweethearts.  They're making me crazy because they have this sense of entitlement...one that I'm not sure existed prior to summer. 

The entitlement?  They think they deserve and have the privilege to sit and play with their Kindle, Wii and/or DS every second of every day!  It's bad!  It's awful!  Whose kids are these?  Even Adri threw a fit today at the doctor's office because I wouldn't let her play Super Why on my phone.  Seriously? 

The worst part of it is when I say no, they ask why.  Again, I say, seriously?  I don't want to sound like my mother (or hers before her), but...BECAUSE I SAID SO!  What happened to these sweet kids that would answer my request to, "Put the Kindle away," with "Yes Mom."  Not any more!  It's more like, "WHYYYYYYYYY?" 

At this point, I'm screaming in my head, "BECAUSE I SAID SO!  BECAUSE I SAID SO!  BECAUSE I SAID SO!  But instead of screaming at them, which is using every ounce of will power I have, I'm politely and respectfully explaining to them that it's beautiful outside and those electronic devices are privileges, not rights (now I really sound like my mom).  They begged me almost every day all winter long to play outside and I was begging them to stay inside because it was too cold.  Now, the weather permits a full day of playing in the sunshine with no cares in the world except a sunburn and bug bites and they want to stay in? 

It's one of those times when I've thrown in the towel to understanding my dilemma.  Granted, it would be a lot easier to let their sweet faces tune into a screen the entire day, but selfishly, I don't want them to because I'll get bored...well that and I don't want them to fry their brain cells.  But, hey, I chose to stay home with my kids so that I could play with them and be with them and do fun stuff with them...and they chose a television over this ball of fun? 

Tell me that I'm not alone.  Tell me that my kids aren't the only ones that beg to play a game over play in the sprinkler because, "There are too many bees," or because, "It's too hot."  When I was kid, if we didn't get stung by a bee, it wasn't a good day! 

We're on an electronic sabbatical, as of yesterday, and we'll see how this goes.  So far, there has been lots of flack and lots of time outs because of arguing.  Surely, they'll soon discover that life will go on without a television on or a DS in their hand.  And hopefully, we'll get over this funk where they think they need an explanation of why.  Why?  BECAUSE I SAID SO!