One of the changes I have decided to make in my blog posts
is to give my 2 sons names that I can use instead of “first born”, “older son”,
“younger one”, “little fella”, etc. So, my 11 year old will hence forth be
known as ASid – he came up with it himself. It is a combination of his
initials and a shortened form of the word “identity”. Works for me!
Currently, the bone of contention between ASid and me is
whether or not he should have access to his own mobile phone. Today, he
exclaimed rather frustratingly that he is perhaps a handful of his age group in
the world without his own phone!! I had a one word question for him, “World?”
He quickly changed the word to Ontario. “I am one of a few sixth graders in
Ontario without a phone! How can I communicate with my friends?”
All this drama because I asked him to request his classmates
to participate in a fundraiser at his school! The fundraiser is to benefit the
Grade 6 classes at his school. All the funds raised will go towards the Grade 6
graduation dinner. I was just distressed at how little involvement was being
demonstrated by the Grade 6 students. I figured I could recruit my own child to
rally the troops. To his credit, ASid agreed to help me. He is usually a sweet
child (and I would probably mortify him if I said that out loud anywhere else
except within the confines of my Momley mind).
All I was asking him was about his communication with his
classmates and friends. He mentioned that he had sent out an email a couple of
days ago and nobody responded. I thought it was strange that he would email
them when he sees them every day at school?! He had an answer to that; “Well! I
can’t give your message face to face to each and every person in my classroom!”
Alright kid, got that! (Although he could make an announcement!) Email is good.
How come NOT one of his classmates responded? That is when he mentioned that no
one emails anymore, everyone is into texting! How can he communicate
effectively if he does not have a phone of his own?
He has wanted a phone for a while now and how nicely he made
a case for it. I was almost proud … Then, I got into Momley mode. “Do you know
how much a phone costs?” His reply is so generic that it pops out of mouths of
several children around the world in several different languages, “I don’t
know”. As simple as that!
Does my child really know the value of anything he has?
Recently, his younger brother was sick and missed school and
a few other classes. I remarked casually how money is wasted when kids miss
classes. ASid wanted to know how much money was being wasted. I thought that was
a good opening for a discussion on money. I quickly estimated somewhere between
10-15 dollars for the swimming class his younger brother missed. All ASid could
say was, “That’s it?” He looked at me like I was making a fuss over nothing.
The topmost item listed on ASid’s 2012 Christmas Wish List
was “Independence” which had 2 sub items listed as – Phone and Allowance. Perhaps
it’s time to give him what he is wishing for … When he turns 12 in August, he
can get his allowance. The phone will have to wait till high school.
The value of anything needs to be appreciated first before
being rewarded for nothing!
