DDS

I'm grouchy today. Real grouchy. And I was grouchy when I went to bed last night too - fuming in fact. "Why?" you might ask?

All because of this:Yep. The Nintendo DS.

Our kids had been begging for one of these brain-sucking contraptions for many years now. We often heard the whine of "everyone has one" from the boys (and they were right), but we stood firm and repeatedly denied their requests to join the DS club. Then Christmas came, and they finally each got one. They were delighted! Ben and I exchanged unsure glances as they tore into the packaging with glee.

Of course, we let them play the DS's a LOT Christmas day. They wanted to try out all the games, learn how to use them and so on. Normally, I would never allow such a stretch, but hey - It was Christmas! I knew that Will had a particular affinity for video games, more-so than Charlie, as he has a tendency to 'zone out' in front of the Wii, become argumentative during and after play, and always choose gaming first to any other kind of activity. It's for these very reasons that video games are limited, and we started the kids on a program to 'earn' Wii time. They play it very infrequently, and they have to do a lot of work to earn up the play time. While I had my concerns about Will owning a DS, I figured if we put limits on when and where he can and cannot play it, we'd be good.

Easier said than done.

After a week or so of the DS's being in our house, I made the following rule: absolutely no playing the DS inside of this house without permission. Play em on the bus, or in the car, but not here, unless I say so. Simple enough, right? *Right*. I don't know how many times I've caught those two camping out in closet or under a blanket secretly playing the DS (or DDS as I've come to refer to it - damn DS), causing me to blow up.

It's no surprise that Charlie is behind on his book goal, and Will has stopped reading chapter books before bed. He'd rather read the instruction manual to a DDS game over and over than a regular book. I can't even fake interest when he wants to talk to me about a new level or something he figured out in a game... the mere mention of the DDS brings me to the brink of boiling over. Agh! Oh, and have I mentioned they fight constantly with each other over the DDS's? I've taken them away, and the day they get em back, it's the same crap over and over. Seriously, I can't take it.

Last night, the kids wanted to sleep up in the bonus room. I agreed, since they don't get to very often and they think it's fun. I read a couple chapters of Harry Potter to them aloud and sent them up to bed, and for once they were eager to comply. I heard whispers coming from above for quite a while, but that was okay, since it was still before their regular bedtime. I settled into reading my own book in my room, directly below them. At about 9:15pm, well after they should be snoozing, I heard louder whispering coming from above... huh? I tiptoed up the stairwell to listen in on what they were doing... you guessed it. Grrr! Quick as a fox I jetted in the room, flipped on the lights and ambushed that little party. Blood officially boiling.

I of course confiscated the evil DDS's and hid them.

I'm not sure when they'll be getting them back - if ever.

I hate the D@!%$& DS!!!