Omission

Lately I've been having a hard time convincing my kids that 2 hours of TV immediately after school is not requisite to their eternal salvation. They don't believe me and inevitably I am worn down by non stop whining or the need to get dinner made in relative peace. So on goes the TV. It really bothers me and worst of all it makes me feel like a sub-par mother.

Today I took a new approach. Before they came home from school I hid the remote and the mouse. Like Old Faithful they went straight for the entertainment center and started hunting in the couch cushions (our designated remote storage area). What? No remote?

"Mom, where's the remote?"

Now, I didn't outright LIE.

I deceived. And yes, I did feel wicked. But a good wicked.

I wielded the answer a question with a question technique.

"You can't find it? Have you looked in the couch cushions?"

They spent a good 20 minutes of absolute harmonious teamwork in an effort to locate the clicker. I guess all you need for "peace and plenty to here abide" is a common goal.

I win.

The next 2 hours were spent doing homework, playing card games, drawing, playing with the baby, they even took baths (wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles!)

Then we were sitting around the dinner table and Ethan asked,

"What's that music?"

"Enya"

"How did you turn it on?"

I am so busted.

Luckily Mathew chimed in: "Do you have Salsa?" (he meant the music, not the condiment)

Ethan said, "Salsa is African. From slavery times."

We may need to brush up on geography and black history, but I SO got away with that.