Sometimes in parenting, you receive some unexpected challenges.
For me today, it was The Monopoly Tournament.
My oldest child and I love reading, coloring, and playing board games. Quiet tv-free activities that we would do one on one as she was growing up.
Image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay
My youngest two, though a part of a family and not raised by a single mom were raised chaos, something I am working to change.
My oldest always had a tidy, sparkling house, her favorite healthy snacks available, clean pj's and fresh towels. When she was ready for quiet she got it, when she wanted noise, she made it.
My youngest two... not so much. Part of it was me moving in with their father an never quite being able to build that calm peaceful home I had with my oldest.
Those are just excuses and back stories, the "truth" is that my middle girl is TERRIBLE at board games. She gets bored, takes too long in her turn, doesn't know what is going on, and makes moves not necessarily to win, or end the game, but to see who she can piss off (or so my oldest accuses her of).
Sometimes she ends the game by throwing the board.
Her brother is not much better.
We used to have collectibles of certain games... not anymore.
That is why I was not upset today that my brother invited my oldest to hang out with him and his daughters but did not invite my younger too.
He started to tell me his reasons, but I cut them off.
I wouldn't want them there either ... if I had a choice.
My middle kid is really upset, she cried and she doesn't understand why she can't go to her Tio's house.
I am trying to show her, once she calms down enough to understand that this is one of the "natural consequences" her mom talks to her about. She doesn't get in trouble, really, for making board games with the rest of us so miserable that we would rather not play. She has to clean up her mess, and we explain to her that she ruined the game, but that's just that.
But this is an ultimate consequence for her. She missed out on spending time at her Tio's house, (and probably on some In & Out Burgers too), so I am ok with it.
However, usually, I really dislike it when one of my kids gets invited somewhere and the other ones don't.
And don't get me started on receiving those "invitations" with the "NO KIDS" lettering at the bottom...
So, how do YOU handle when one of your kids gets invited somewhere and the other one doesn't?