I'll Undo The Damage Later

Several times I've tried to explain to Adam why I think some scheme of his (some scheme that seems to me like it will end in bodily harm for our children) is a bad idea.

We lob our opinions back and forth.

He tells me they'll be fine.

My closing argument is always that my job is to keep them safe. It has been since they were inside of me and I laid off the Advil for 9 months. It's hard to loosen that watch. Hard to relent to something that doesn't seem all that safe.

Of course, when you're as unadventurous and clumsy as me, most everything seems unsafe.

This same principle applies with my children's intellects.

I've tried to do all the right things: breastfeed them, read to them, talk to them, teach them, take them to zoos and museums and plays and the library, buy them books, I even married a smart man to boost the gene pool.

And what do they do?

Do they appreciate this investment in their brainpower?

No.

From the minute he found out about it, Mark has been hounding, pestering and hassling me to rent the latest Bionicle movie, Legend Reborn.

There's no way around movies like that.

They are making my children dumber.

But no one in the world (except maybe Braeden) can be more provoking when they want something than Mark is.

Because $5 was not too high a price to pay for a little peace, we went to Blockbuster today.

And picked up Legend Reborn.

I felt like a sub par mother. Who rents movies that are proven (I'm just guessing they're proven) to make your children less smart just to avoid a little harassment from a six year old? Who does that?

I walked past our family room and this is what I saw stretched out on the couch:


Look how quiet and un-wrestling-with-each-other and almost affectionate they look.

So I say, go ahead and undo any smarts I've tried to instill in you if you're going to look so cute doing it.

Go right ahead.