Friday, September 9, 2011

Parenting sheltered children

I really thought I had done a good job parenting these two kids we're raising. I have children who use manners, help out when forced, follow the rules when threatened - you know, typical good kids.

I sent the teen up to visit and help out his favorite aunt for a couple or three weeks. The report, so far (there's still another 10 days before he comes home)isn't looking so good:

* He shot a blast of air at his 5-yr-old cousin's head with his unloaded paintball gun.

* He shot out a couple of the barn windows with his cousins bb gun.

* He broke the sun tea jars.

* He took his other 5-yr-old cousin for a ride on the atv, forgot there was a dog leash tied to the bumper, tangled it around a root and when it broke free caused said 5-yr-old to need stitches in his head (chain on the end swung up and hit him).

* While waiting at the ER with his cousin while the other cousin got stitches he rough-housed a bit and his cecostomy tube was pulled out. This is a big deal because we don't know if anyone can put in a new one, he didn't have his foley catheter with him, and they're at a small podunk hospital in the middle of nowhere.

The boy needs to come home so I can beat some sense into him. Seriously, he doesn't act this way at home. I may have to take part of the blame because we've been home schooling him and he's not exposed to a lot of kids like he's been. Looks like I'm going to have to seriously limit his television time and video games.

My daughter says this kind of stuff only happens when the responsible parent - her - is away for the evening.

1 comment: