Yesterday when my ten-year-old Andrew got home from school I asked if he wanted to go out for dinner and do something fun together since Joshua and dad were having their “guys night out” (something JJ does each week with one of our boys).
You are just not going to believe what he did. No kidding…he scanned me from head to toe, sort of rolled his eyes and said, “No, I want to be with the guys!”
I am thinking. My son just checked me out like I was some girl on the playground asking him to the 4th grade dance and he ditched me!
But I acted all cool like it didn’t bother me. Then I tried another angle. “Don’t you want to get some pizza and play some video games.”
“No, I don’t want to play video games with you, cause you can’t keep up. I want to be with Josh and Dad, why can’t they go out tomorrow night?”
Okay, so now I am totally insulted by his slam on my gaming skills and still not so happy that he looked at me from head to toe like he was checking out my outfit! But I think. That’s fine. I’ll just hang out with my laptop, get some work done, maybe even call a friend who thinks I’m cool and talk about the mean boy who just dumped me! (Or whatever they call it now…ditched, dumped, dissed?)
Joshua got home an hour later and Andrew asked him if he and dad could go out another night because he wanted them to all hang out again like they did the night before. I told Joshua laughingly how Andrew had totally ditched me – even demonstrated the scanning and eye-rolling. Both of them cracked up laughing.
Then Joshua summed it all up in his oh-so-wise-twelve-year-old-way: “Mom, it’s just a phase. Andrew used to worship the ground you walk on, follow you everywhere, cry when you left and now he just wants to be with dad. I went through the same thing when I was 10.”
Where did this kid get such insight? He was right and so matter of fact about the whole thing. Then he gave me a big hug like he thinks I’m cool and all that.
Well, JJ and Joshua went out for Indian Cuisine and Andrew was stuck with me!
And just like any fourth-grade girl who has a crush on some cute guy would do – I baked him a frozen pizza, brought it to the bonus room, set up some table-trays I’d found in a closet downstairs so we could eat while we watched tv together and announced to him that I still wanted to hang out with him.
This was big stuff ’cause I never let them eat in the bonus room. He jumped off the couch, grabbed me and gave me a big hug and said, “Now, I LOVE you.” So glad it’s unconditional – let me tell ya.
He’s such a guy. I should have handed him the remote control and really watched him melt in my hands!
Hahahaha! I can’t stop laughing. That is just so funny. My 7 year-old son dumped me last week. He told me how much he hated his brother and didn’t want to have a big brother. So, I said, “why don’t you get dress and we can go pick up your sister?”
“No, I don’t want to go with you. I’ll stay here with stupid ______.” Where do they get these language from? The most hurtful words they spoke was “poop.” Then after they enter school. They come home with four letter words.
Anyway, that’s besides the point. But, Andrew. Well, that’s just too cute. And, Joshua so sweet. You taught him well.
p.s.
I have been reading (lurking) for awhile, but this is my first comment!
I love how kids don’t stop to think about their reactions to our questions. Loved it!
Boys…I could see my own eleven year old son responding in the same way.
That was hilarious! I loved Joshua’s wisdom! You’re such a good mom, not holding a grudge, and letting him eat somewhere other than the kitchen table too… I’m already getting ditched now and then by my sons because Daddy’s more fun, and they’re 8,6, and 4! I don’t want it to get any worse! At least my canine “son” is still hopelessly devoted to me! As far as he is concerned, I am the pack leader! God Bless! April
I guess that is part of the process when it comes to raising boys. The first testing of the apron strings and seeing how tight they are. Mine are 16 and 13 so the strings are getting looser and looser….
Renee, don’t feel alone. I get ditched every single day by all three of my sons. One minute they are my lap and as soon as they hear the engine of my husband’s car, they are all racing to the door to greet him and spend time w/ him until dinner. I am “reinvited” for dinner, baths, and prayer before bed.
I love it, I just love it.
Too funny!!! And I needed a good laugh today. Although, at the same time, I know the feeling of being ‘ditched’ by my son. He used to think I could do no wrong – now he never thinks I’m right! Oh well, in the wisdom of your son Joshua – this is a stage.
So thankful my Heavenly Father never ditches me. When He looks me over He always smiles, and always wants to hang out with me. The Only One I can completely and totally rely on. Know He’s smiling down on you today.
Love & prayers,
Joy
That is so funny!
Sometimes our kids are much wiser than their years aren’t they!
Today Raegan was crying and I was trying to tell that she needed to to stop and obey…Paige in her 5 year old wisdom said, “Just make her to stop mommy!”
Oh yah – I AM the mom, aren’t I?!
I think your COOL! But I’m a little too far away to hang out with.
No kids here, but I borrow a few sets of kids on a regular basis (2 sets of girls and 1 set of boys). I think the boys are about to age out on me. (The only reason I’ve probably lasted this long is that I’m fairly indulgent.) Ah, but very soon, I think it really won’t be cool to hang out with you mother’s friend! (Even if she willingly splurges on you.)
Recently, the boys were here for an evening and one of them came across a video and wanted to know what I had rented. I have no clue why it was out or how long it had been shoved back behind some things, but I explained it was of me when I was little. They wanted to see. I told them it would be boring (no sound) and all that. But they wanted to watch some anyway — until we came to the requisite toddler in the bathtub scene. They screamed and hid their faces and quickly decided they were done with my old kid home movies.
Well Hippy Cool Chic, I wouldn’t have ditched ya! You should’ve come to the Hannah Montana movie with us where “Girls Rule”:)
Andrew and Joshua are both too cute. It’s like we can’t wait for them to get a little older and get a little independent, but then when it happens our feelings get hurt.
Oh, I would’ve given anything to have seen Andrew look you up and down and then say ‘no can do’….
You know I love you always sweetie!
Melissa
And to think you just got your hair done yesterday too!
The nerve.
I laughed out loud at Joshua’s wisodm!!!
Renee, don’t feel alone. I get ditched every single day by all three of my sons. One minute they are my lap and as soon as they hear the engine of my husband’s car, they are all racing to the door to greet him and spend time w/ him until dinner. I am “reinvited” for dinner, baths, and prayer before bed.
I love it, I just love it.
My son won’t let me play video games either because I can’t keep up…although I’m getting better on the Wii. The way to his heart is also pizza and the remote. Way to bounce back.
That’s so funny….proving yet again that the way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach – and the right environment!
Don’t worry Renee, I’ll hang out with you anytime!! And I won’t scan your outfit beforehand!!
That is absolutely hilarious! Thanks for sharing your dumped story 🙂
I don’t have any boys, but my girl has always been a mommy’s girl. I’ve been waiting for the switch to when she’d rather be with her dad, but it hasn’t happened yet. Although there are things she does with me — and things she does only with dad (like homework or learning anything knew — I suddenly became stupid when I had a kid!).
Anyway, that’s really cool that your husband does something with each of them individually. I think families today get too busy to do that and relationships suffer.
Way to recover! 🙂
“Now I love you!”
Too funny! I guess you still know the way to his heart, pizza and the remote! You go girl, especially for bouncing back from getting dumped. You poor thing.
Hee hee!
Well Hippy Cool Chic, I wouldn’t have ditched ya! You should’ve come to the Hannah Montana movie with us where “Girls Rule”:)
Andrew and Joshua are both too cute. It’s like we can’t wait for them to get a little older and get a little independent, but then when it happens our feelings get hurt.
Oh, I would’ve given anything to have seen Andrew look you up and down and then say ‘no can do’….
You know I love you always sweetie!
Melissa