Delaware Liberal

I am NOT Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

Sometimes one can look back on one’s life and spot a specific moment in time when everything changed. For me and my son, it was a few years ago when Terrell Owens left the Eagles for the dreaded Cowboys and my boy’s football allegiance switched from the Green and White to the Blue and White.

To rid him of this horrible disease, I threatened him by taking away his Xbox, taking away meals, adding chores and even banishing him from the house, but nothing worked. Sadly, he has remained a Cowboys fan, doing dances in the living room when they win, and generally flaunting it in my face. In two weeks, we’re headed to Dallas to watch the Cowboys beat up on the Bengals.

Is it possible that my fifth grader is outwitting me, outlasting me, and outplaying me? You more want examples? How about staying up till 11:30 to watch the Cowboys beat the Eagles last Monday night, his bed time is usually 8. How about him finding a baby squirrel in a neighbor’s yard and we have to drive from North Wilmington to Bear to “rescue” the future rat? How about my  boy gets to skip his shower because it is too tired? How about that his parents make him breakfast every morning? How about the line I drew that he’d never have a TV in his room and now he does?

As a parent, one must set the basic rules and conduct of behavior for your child, which I think me and Mrs. nemski have done well, but you must also allow oneself as a parent to get played a few times by your child. This gives them a small taste of victory. And yet, somehow, I have this nagging feeling that my son is playing me and allowing me to win the small and meaningless victories.

Is this the normal life of a parent? If so, I have a strong suspicion that it is just going to get worse.

BTW, that is a picture of the boy and the blogger.

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