When you take those first tentative steps into motherhood the things that cross your mind are a mix of "can I really do this?" and "He/she is going to be truly amazing!". You dream of them taking their first steps, saying their first word. One of the things you don't think about is when they become people who do things on their own, things you don't understand. Over the past few months, more and more, I've noticed my boys doing things I don't understand.
Repeating themselves
I don't know if it's just my boys but they constantly repeat themselves. Not just once or twice either but 100 times! They can be talking about anything at all, they don't even have to be excited, which I think is worse. The other day I must've heard "... and then they kick you!" 3000 times.
My biggest fear is mindlessly and stupidly repeating myself.
John Lydon
What is it with the repeating? Do they get some sort of satisfaction out of saying something so many times?
I just DON'T GET IT.
Bickering
Okay, so I know it's what siblings do, I remember doing it with my sister, but the bit I don't get is how they can be bickering one minute and the best of friends the next. They punch and kick one another and then they're laughing and playing together.
Of course when I'm being Evil Mum I know they band together and I'm just mean, to both of them. They stick together, take care of each other. But if they're so close then why all the fighting?
No progress games
When I was growing up video games consisted of you playing levels again and again, your character dying 50 times before you managed to complete the level. When you did complete the level it was so satisfying. Progressing to the next level where you would have your character dying another 50 times or more was the best feeling ever.
Games that make you feel good about yourself are good games to be playing.
Jane McGonigal
These days games aren't like that, at least not the games my boys choose to play. The games my boys are like don't have levels, they don't even have progress as far as I can tell. They move a blob around a screen eating up other blobs, their score increasing each time they eat something. They fight with characters, again and again and again... and again! No progress, no points, no levels. From Minecraft to Mopio I just don't get these games!
What is the point of putting blocks together to make a bigger block? What is it my boys get out of it?
What do they get out of moving a floating blob around a screen, swallowing up other blobs?
I may be showing my age but I really don't get what is fun about that at all.
Watching others play games
This is something that has only just started but my boys have been going on Youtube, and Amazon Prime Video, to watch other people play games. Now before you start shouting at your screen the games they're watching are games they own! It's not like they're watching people play a game they don't have, that I could understand. No, they sit and watch other people play through a game they have in the cupboard, a game they could pick up and play themselves but choose not to.
Where's the entertainment in watching others play a game? Again I would understand it if they were learning, watching the clips and then trying out the tactics on the game themselves, but they don't even do that! They just watch, then move on to the next clip. I don't think they're learning anything, they're not testing out theories, they're just watching someone else play a game they have.
I DON'T GET IT!
These and so many other things perplex me about my children. I never thought I would be stumped by my children! Please tell me I am not alone.
What things do your children do that you don't understand?