Rebooting the Children

I’m tech savvy in my own way but when a really hard problem hits my computer, I find that my favorite answer is always REBOOT. At least half the time I can solve my weirdest computer errors by simply restarting the machine. I vaguely understand how this can work. Processes that are running out of control in the background are stopped and when the machine starts up again, only the basic programs are initiated.

The same basic principle holds true for my body, especially during pregnancy. When I first wake up, I feel okay and then all day long I feel worse and worse. The sickness builds throughout the day and by bedtime it’s all I can do to keep from throwing up as I lay down for the night. I’m also very cranky by that time and not so fun to be around.

But magically when I wake up the next morning I feel decent again and can get a fair amount of stuff done before the nine month flu takes over my body again. I’m even nice to my kids and my spouse most mornings thanks to my sleepy reboot.

Now yesterday it was Laylee and Magoo who were experiencing technical difficulties. Ever since Mother’s Day they’ve been sort of picking at each other. It’s like they’re trying to see how much they can annoy each other before the other kid hauls off and hits them. Then the “injured victim” cries and comes tattling to me, where she receives sympathy, none at all.

Yesterday I was letting them play a bit on the Wii before doing their chores -- faulty scheduling I know. A wise mother always has them do the chores first so she has something to take away if they feel the need to stage an anti-cleanliness coup. The problem is that my little 1 lb. baby and I needed a rest and chores would have required more supervision than mindless video game play.

You’d think that they kids would have done everything in their power to keep their sweet good gaming fortune going. But no. For some reason they had some rotten nasty rogue processes running in the back of their brains and needed a reboot. When I heard them squealing from the family room and yelling for me to come and resolve their argument, I had HAD it. I didn’t even press restart. I just shut them down.

“Bed. NOW.” I commanded and marched them upstairs for forced naps. Two hours later my little angels awoke refreshed and ready to get along in the world. They worked together. They didn’t whine. The invented fun and interesting games to play. Sometimes all it takes is a simple reboot.

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