Sunday, September 21, 2008

A New Way to Parent


Mental:  Why is all your football stuff in the driveway?
Augie:  I'm airing it out.
Mental:  Well, you need to get it in the house so I can wash it.
Augie:  No. it's fine. I'm just going to put it back in my car.
Mental:
 Wait.  I want to get my camera so I can get some shots of this.
Augie:  No way.  You'll just put it in your blog.
Mental:  So.  What's the big deal?
Augie: I don't want to be in the blog.
Mental:  Well then you'd better do everything I say.
Augie: *silence

I highly recommend this method of keeping your kids in check.  I may start threatening "blog fodder" a bit more.  Think of the possibilities.

36 comments:

Pseudo said...

Oh, that was great. Hilarious. How often do we leave a teenage boy speechless? I think I will do that with my son's motorcross boots tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I wonder if that would work over here?

judi/Gmj said...

Still works with the 41 year old!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

I'm definitely going to try that one, although with this bunch around here, they more than likely will WANT to be in the blog.

Anonymous said...

Hey that's a great idea! We have piles too, usually right inside the front door....

Ellen said...

Oh, you are so smart. I never thought of taking pictures of "the mess." You are my hero!

Sassy said...

Oh my gosh....LOVE IT!!!! I know everytime we do anything I get my camera and my son will be making some sarcastic remark about "WHAT...is this going to be part of your blog, too?" Maybe I should use it as a threat and they would DO WHAT I SAY OR ELSE!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! My laugh sounds kinda witchy just thinking about it....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! I think I've gone mad...I LOVE IT..."YOU DO IT OR I BLOG IT!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Unknown said...

I totally agree with you! I use it all the time...they even have tried to hide my camera and that includes Hard Working Man!!!!

kim-d said...

Genius...absolutely genius!

Teenage boys. I cannot even imagine what it would be like to have the mind of one. AIRING STUFF OUT ON THE DRIVEWAY, BUT HEAVEN FORBID YOU SHOULD ACTUALLY WASH THAT SAME STUFF? BWAHAHAHAHA!

Fascinating creatures, those teenage boys!

Deb said...

this reminds me of the tv commercial that goes something like this....we have our way of freshening up...and they have their way of freshing up. Women take showers. Men turn their tee shirts inside out!
Too funny! Boys will be boys!

WORKING MOM said...

I am laughing my butt off. First of all, love the picture. Secondly, he sounds like my kids. What's so bad about our blogs????

Anonymous said...

Substitute hockey or lacrosse equipment and I could have taken the same shot...many times over.

I thought that threatening to take away the car keys was a powerful threat. You're right..."I'll put you on my blog." Very powerful stuff ;)

Flea said...

Ooooo. I like this method. I think my kids would curl up and die if they knew how often I feature them. Heh. Thanks!

Bear Naked said...

Hmmm
Think I will try that out with my husband.
Thanks for the handy hint.

Bear((( )))

Keetha said...

Oh, that was INSPIRED. Good work, Mom!

Caution/Lisa said...

We do it just the opposite way. "You better do what I say or I won't put you in my blog anymore!" It gets them EVERY time.

Anonymous said...

Love it...do you thnk it will work on NSLO?

Good to see you! Do you think I can get a pair? I will have to ask Pat if she wants a pair too!!

Big Hair Envy said...

My dear, that was sheer genius!!

BTW - did he air out his car once he removed the funky football gear?? I'm sure it smelled like a locker room in there!!!

Anonymous said...

That's funny! I'll have to try that approach.

Anonymous said...

Way to go Mental P. Keep him in line. I think that I'll photograph my garage, but I would be so ashamed that I would quit blogging.

Daryl said...

Oh La .. that is perfection ... I use a similar threat on Husband .. who knew how these blogs were going to pay off for us?!

:-Daryl

Mary said...

Count your blessings. My daughter has been "airing out" her soccer stuff on the floor of my living room! I actually took a picture to post, too. But I don't think it would bother her... sigh...
xoxo,
Mary

Debbie said...

I only wish I had blogged when David was younger...Can I say this idea is outstanding??

Poor Augie...has such a MEAN and BRILLIANT Mom LOL

Camellia said...

Let's rethink this. Where are the clothes now?

dlyn said...

This totally works - even with husbands and grown "out of the house, but back for a visit" children and aging parents and pesky younger brothers. We call it the "blog-threat". Riley likes it though - more cookies.

Egghead said...

I only wish I would have had this threat years ago when my son was in football. Gag you with the sweaty filthy smells. All I can say is his shoes alone could run fifty pigs off of a farm.

Lisa said...

How funny. But I really wonder why he is not going to let you wash those clothes. Doesn't it just make your head spin!!!??

Hilary said...

When I threaten son with blog.. he threatens blog with an orchestrated Fortran attack. I respect his privacy (usually - or I just don't tell him about it) and I escape with my blog life. ;)

Country Girl said...

Oh, now that is great! Very effective parenting.

Keeper Of All Things said...

That's FUNNY.......
Maybe he's on to something
Maybe you don't have to actually wash the clothes.....
Anyway I'm sure the football clothes can't smell that bad huh?
We had a funky smell in the entryway....took us two days to figure out it was my 10yr olds cheer shoes!!!

Magpie said...

Huh. Mine doesn't know from blogs...

Anonymous said...

Ha! Well done. Not that I really know any teenage boys to use that on anymore - but it does work on my boyfriend, in kind of the opposite way.
"Hey Tim - you have to ACTUALLY SMILE for this pic, cuz I want to put it on my blog"
"Your blog? Oh okay - I'll look pretty"

It works on 23 year old "boys" too!

www.fiveblondes.com

enthalpymama said...

That was awesome. I will keep that in mind, trust me.

holly said...

i can't WAIT until my 3 year old cares about my blog. it is starting to work on the 9 year old. . .

holly said...

i thought this was a new display for homecoming or something. what a strange float!

Anonymous said...

Oh that's too funny! Wish I had thought of a blog when my kids were young!