Hoping the perishables won't perish

My family is irresponsible.

It pains me to discover and subsequently admit the problems I’m having in my household, I’m literally sick to my stomach right now because I knew this, but the extent of it all has manifested before my eyes in the matter of hours.

Disclaimer: I’m not telling my entire feelings about the subject, that in itself adds to my queasiness.

I’m a consumer, I said it. I take blame in this too. The 9 year old, the 8 year old, the 7 year old, and the 6 year old all have a Nintendo DS. The older ones are very responsible and take great care of the pen, the charger, their games, and the actual game thing, but the youngest of that bunch takes no responsibility. (Before you judge, realize that there is more to the story that you’re not getting). He loses his stuff, blames others, loses it again and then asks the others to use their things since he lost his. Thankfully they politely tell him “heck no” and make him find his belongings. 

Last week, my husband, in his great wisdom, confiscated his DS and replaced it with a potato named John. 

Like the good ol days of high school when teen girls carried flour “babies” around in order to teach them (and scare them from) the responsibilities of having a baby, the 6 year old lost his electronic device and gained a spud. He was charged with making sure that John was with him at all times and today he gained an extra week because the 6 year old figured he could simply throw John in a backpack and that we’d never notice. 


(Insert sinister mom laugh here.)

Meanwhile, the super responsible 9 year old misplaced her DS. For hours she searched, I let her do the looking because she’s the one who lost it. She called grandma but grandma hadn’t seen it, grandma asked great-grandma, but great-grandma hadn’t seen it (I would have LOVED if great-grams would have taken it and was playing it!) Needless to say, the minute I went into the room and looked in the 3 year olds princess purse, I found the missing DS. Since we’re out of potatoes the 9 year old gained a lemon named DJ for a week for not looking diligently. The 3 year old got questioning as to why she had it in the first place and as to why she didn’t tell her sister. (She was too busy playing with her dolls to let her sis know where it was.)

I don’t believe that kids need the coolest newest electronic things. Although I’m a consumer and want the cool new phone/iPad/laptop/desktop/iPod/kitchen appliance/wireless router/hair dryer/mascara, I definitely don’t believe in spoiling kids. My babies are good kids and they never overplay, and thank God they enjoy reading good ol’ fashioned books more than that darn game system. 

All that to say this: In all the mayhem that was this evening, my husband lost his iPod. He named his lemon ODB. 

I’m learning lessons here.