On the Christmas List.

On the Christmas list, Katie has written Nintendo DS and Wii.

I'm not sure if that is the hand held Nintendo or a bigger machine.
All I know is that she has mentioned a few times that this is what she wants.

And this is where I get to be Scrooge.

I say, no, no, no.

I have let the Nintendo's into the house before and they change behaviors.

(I am included in this, changing of behaviors)

Katie has finally started creating things. She colors and cuts. She wants to sew a blanket for Pinky and build a disco ball.
She wants to set up a restaurant and write menus and signs.
She thinks of ways to channel her creativity. All by herself.

And I know.

I know for a fact.

This would stop once the Nintendo entered the house.

Because I bought a Nintendo 64 for Matthew.
And I was terrible at setting time limits.

For myself and correspondingly for the boys.

I still get sucked in....and can't get out.

(I actually have friends who successfully set time limits on these games, but
I can not do it.)


I have worn the buttons out to three Gameboys.
I like to play Tetris. A lot.


But when the batteries die or the game is misplaced or broken down....

I find other much more productive things to do with my time;

like knit or quilt or edit photos in photoshop or cook or sleep.


Katie will live a full and happy life if she does not have a Nintendo.

I know she will.

She will still love me.


I have also learned THAT lesson and I will tell you this..if you don't already know it...
but it took me a little bit to learn this all by myself.

Your children don't love you because you give them things.




Katie may have it super easy being the youngest of four....

but in this case she is going to benefit from my experience.

No Nintendo for you.



Poor, deprived, Nintendo-less, child.


Encourage one another,
Donna