Things I’m going to have to get used to as the single mother of a boy
We’ve already discussed potty training a little entity with outdoor plumbing. The butt and fart jokes, I am told, are not solely within the realm of boyhood. I have calmly dealt with the fact that my kid mooned someone in his camp because he thought it would be funny.
What seems to be pushing me to the outer limits of my level of competence is the games. Quadrilla, I can handle if I’ve got a picture to go by, but I’ll never invent a marble run on my own. No. What’s got me cross-eyed is a little thing called Lego.
OK. I can do this. I am SoloMother, hear me ROAR.
*meep*
Lego Mars Mission. 763 teeny, tiny, annoying little pieces. At least the instructions are pictures only. Can you imagine having to READ how to put this crap all together?
Yesterday afternoon, the KoE and I put some more of the thing together. We have the rocket launcher and loading tubes in place, and part of the science station, if that is indeed what this mish-mash of stuff is, can be used for Martian experiments. I wonder if there are provisions to protect the Martians in our beleaguered Geneva Convention? Ah well. Scientific Experiments, Questioning, Torture, it’s all wink wink nod nod down here on Earth, why should the Martians be treated any differently?
Ahem.
It’s hell to do this thing. I was never a fan of Lego, but my ex used to love to talk about how he and his brother used to go to town with Lego back in the day. You know, back when Lego was a set of blocks and you just used your imagination to put stuff together. Now I’ve got two, 40 page books of instructions on how to get this thing together, and pieces so small and irritating that only a four year old can find them.
I was seriously thinking about inviting friends over one night to help finish this damned thing… but yesterday was so great. The Kid was chortling and rubbing his hands together and crowing superlatives with every snap of pieces put together. He found everything I dropped on the floor, gleefully pounded on the rocket launcher, put the Martians into their sleep capsules and rocketed them across the dining room. We’re not going to be eating in any sort of formal context at home for a while, so the whole table has been given over to Lego Mars Mission (or, as the King of Everything calls it, “Lego Man Mission to Mars!”).
When you have to play Mom and Dad, you learn so much about yourself.
I just caught myself looking at add-ons to the Lego system. Hold me back!
Tags: absent-father, dad, father, filling-in-for-daddy, Lego-Mars-Mission, mom, mother, single-mom, single-motherRelated Stories
POSTED IN: parenting
9 opinions for Things I’m going to have to get used to as the single mother of a boy
Andrea
Jan 7, 2008 at 6:45 pm
you are a braver woman than i. i rarely allow toys with small pieces. of course, there is a child in my home who is still at the choking hazard stage. luckily for me, my older son is more concerned with electric guitars and cds than aliens. now THAT i understand :)
Amy
Jan 7, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I’ve made it simple. After experiencing the 200,000.00 pieces of the lego set made for FIVE YEAR OLDS I simply FORBADE all legos. No more. End of story.
Leslie
Jan 8, 2008 at 1:18 am
What an accomplishment! I lose my patience with the little legos they’re just made for those teeny fingers, I miss the Duplo days :)
America
Jan 8, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Iguess I am in the minority here. I ADORE lego. It is my favotite game to play with my son. I AM still trying to emphasize plain blocks, which I know is a losing battle. But I just think old school blocks are much more creative…
Annie
Jan 9, 2008 at 8:43 pm
thanks for this blog, which I just found about while reading my newsletter from single parents.com
I also am a single mom of a boy (almost 3 now) and still have to get over the fact that he doesn’t like/want anything but cars, trucks, tractors, dragons, etc. I know (in fact I’m an expert) most of the movies from Pixar, but the song in Cars has become our national anthem here, in our little appartment!
christina
Jan 10, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Andrea, the little kid thing is why I don’t invite some of my single moms to our house. Too many little things all over that some toddler is going to kill him or herself on. Sigh.
Electric guitars? woah. If my kid is good in school, the principal is going to invite him to her guitar class. I’m both amazed and terrified at the idea. He’s growing up too fast!
christina
Jan 10, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Amy, you are a hard taskmistress. I don’t think I could ban Lego… just because of the look on my kid’s face when we finally get something put together. I’m a hero!
navi
Jan 10, 2008 at 11:05 pm
and think of all the little girls who never got Legos and felt wronged when their little brothers got them…
Well, that’s really my grandparents fault. I think my parents actually didn’t get them for us because they wanted to avoid the mess. My grandparents hauled off and bought my brothers some legos and got them hooked….
but no, legos aren’t a boy thing. unless the parents make it so. me I just hat the mess… my oldest daughter had tons of blocks… until we kept stepping on them…
navi
Jan 10, 2008 at 11:06 pm
er hate the mess that is…
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