Close companshionship

I have been wondering when the gloves would come out with the kids, and yesterday was the day! Monkey Boy was sure he could play the new Battleship game we so proudly bought at Target the other day. When we brought it home and set it up, is was not the old configuration of that game. It was one large plastic "box" that a cardboard sheet slipped into. There were blue and green sections on both sides, and there were little holes that stuck out (is there a real name for that - I wonder!). Anyway the little cells are identified with a number and the letter at the top of that column.

Now, I would love to have the old set up. I liked each person having his own little box where your ships were either on the top or the bottom, and the other person's on the other. The numbers were the same. Both people had a B-6 for example. Well, this new one was different, and Grandma,being the highly intelligent person she is (LOL) didn't need to read instructions. It's Battleship for Pete's sake! Lady Bug and I put that darn game away after about 20 minutes of absolute confusion. We really wanted the little travel set back!

We decided to attempt it once again yesterday. So we bravely put our ships out, being careful to stay in our blue. This time we were aware that my blue was her green, and vice versa. Then we began to call numbers. She was doing quite well - Grandma, well, not so well. We had called about 10 sets of numbers, and I had about 18 pegs in my green!

We persevered on, and she beat me quite handily. Then Monkey decided that he certainly was capable of playing. That lasted for about 3 minutes before the fur began to fly! He had no clue, which is no different from the travel set either, how to call the numbers. That didn't surprise me because I had the same problem the first day. I knew this was a bad situation, and I should stay at the table to help and guide him. I was doing that from the sofa, but there was still no understanding on his part.

They finally stopped playing and got the memory game out. Words were spoken over the set up, and then - it happened. LB said something, and MB hit out. Well, the war was on. I looked up to see them flying through the den, with LB is close pursuit. But then there are the other times.

In looking at this situation objectively, there is too much closeness. LB is told over and over not to mother the other two, but that is her nature. It has been a detriment to MB's development. He doesn't have the skills a 6 year old should have because he has been so mothered. I don't really know if he has an addictive personality, but it might be. He certainly wants to depend on her. When she is gone, he is lost. She completes his sentences - she does a lot with him. (She does a lot to him - heh).

They are good kids. The summers are hard for them. They need activities, and their parents have tried. They have been to every Bible school in the area for activities. Day care really isn't good. They would only be there in the summer, and those kids already have alliances. The Bible schools, and other church programs (like our church has a long term camp for kids whose parents work) have been really good for them. It is just now - these two weeks right before school. They need watching. Their dad is out of town, so I get to have this time with them.

It has been fun. I think today is about the last day at Camp Grandma! That is good and sad!

Peach be with you.