Forced Entertainment

Ever heard a mother say "you will do xyz and you'll enjoy it!"? I am beginning to understand this and the blame lies entirely upon being a mother of teenagers.

Given their way, they would spend the entire holiday season in front of the x-box, computer, or watching movies. There would be a break for opening presents (which they would hope would further facilitate more of the aforementioned activities) and then life would return to "normal". Thus my holidays are no longer about finding the energy to keep up with them and enjoying the magic of seeing the holidays through their eyes... now it is about guerilla warfare in the form of forced entertainment.

I am determined that my children will have happy memories with special traditions: whether they want them or not.

Last week was the last straw for me. My mother told me she was going to my sister's house (My sister has a herd of small children and the oldest is the same age as my youngest. A pre-teen) to create their annual gingerbread village. Last year my youngest had gone along and really enjoyed herself with her cousin. So I offered it as an option this year. And she said no. It sounded boring. This is odd to me because when, a couple of months ago, she was bemoaning "having" to spend Christmas with her father, she was crying because she would miss the End of the World party here and all the other traditions we usually do (they will all be here this year which is another story entirely but the choice of their father and one she was really excited about). Which got me thinking... and asking about other activities. Decorating gingerbread houses at home? Boring. Making ornaments? Boring. Going sledding? Boring. Christmas baking? Boring. End of the world party with music and friends? Boring.

And thus ended the option phase of the holiday season. I am now one of those mothers. The ones who say insane things like the quote at the beginning of this post. The ones whose children glare hatefully at while they are sent off to do family activities and setting up to do art projects.

And, if I'm lucky, one of the mothers whose children have some beautiful memories.