What a Weekend this will Be-And Do your Kids Play Video Games?

First off, I have to say a big Happy, Happy Birthday to my son!  Bubbalicious turned a whopping 9 years old yesterday!!  Like my hubby said, he has one year left til he is a "double digit midget"!! ha!

With that, brings me to the title of this post.  What a Weekend!  This weekend will be fun and probably pure chaos.  This year, with our budget, we could not afford to do a big birthday and a big gift, both.  So we gave Bubbs the choice of choosing one or the other.  Let me clarify "big".  A big party is what we have done just about every year.  He always invites his whole class, plus other friends and family and we book a party somewhere, like at a skating rink, play palace, or something like that.  It costs easily a couple hundred or more just for the party.  For the "big" present, now that he is a little older, he wants cool gadgets, electronics, and video game systems for gifts.  So we try to get him one big present and a few smaller ticket gifts.

So this year, he had to choose on either a big party, or a big gift.  He had a hard time deciding, and finally chose the big gift.  So, he will be getting either a handheld video game system, or maybe a mini laptop if I can find one for a good price. 

Since we won't be having a huge party this year, I told him that he could invite a couple friends over for a sleepover, and the next day we would go to Chuck E. Cheese's and hang out, and the family could come there to celebrate with him.  So come Saturday night, I'll have my 2 kids, plus 3 other 3rd grade boys, all hanging out in my little house!  I love having my kids' friends over, and all the kids are really great.  Miss Sassy tries to hang out with the boys, but they aren't so cool with a 4 year old girl wanting to play, lol.

I know they will want to watch movies and play video games.  Who has some ideas on other activities I can do on a budget to keep them entertained?  Of course, it's going to rain all weekend, so that counts that out.  I want to hear your ideas and tips on making sure these boys have fun.

Do your kids play video games?  It has become a regular thing for my son, and it's to the point where I'm going to have start putting limits on how much time is spent playing.  We have already put restrictions on video games that are rated M, and some of the teen games.  M rated games are not allowed, and the teen games we check them out first and decide which ones are ok and which are not.

Our whole family, including me, lol, all love to play video games.  We have a Playstation 3, an old DS, an older PSP, and a Wii.  Personally, the only one Miss Sassy and I ever play is the Wii.  I got the Wii Fit Plus to go with it, and I love it!  I also recently bought Zumba for Wii.  I haven't really tried all of it yet, but plan on it soon.  I'll keep you updated on that.  I think it might be something really awesome!  I really only play with the Wii to help me "work out" because it makes it more like a game, instead of work.  I hate working out.   The game that comes with the Wii Fit Plus is all fitness based, but are really fun and even kind of addicting.  It really makes me want to keep doing it.  My hubby loves watching me do the hula hoop game, but what he doesn't realize is that it's much more funny watching him do it, than me!  hehehe!

Miss Sassy actually just started playing the Wii.  She recently got the Sesame Street Elmo Wii game, and she loves it!  It is an educational game, and teaches her letters, numbers, and more.  She had to have a little help with some of the actions of the remote, but after I showed her how, she caught right on.  She also got sent a Hello Kitty game, but we haven't tried it yet.  There are a couple more games I would really like to get her, like the Nick Jr. Fitness game.  Is has lots of the Nick Jr. characters, like Dora and the Backyardigans and they do fun exercises.  Have any of you tried this game?  I'd love to hear more about it.  Or do you have other fun suggestions for a preschooler?

Bubbalicious and the Hubs both play PS3.  A lot.  Bubbs loves games like Star Wars and Lost Planet 2.  He likes fighting games the best, but it is definitely hard to find them without them being rated M.  I actually was shocked when I saw a game that was rated M.  I wondered if it was just violence to get that rating, so Hubs showed me exactly why it got that Mature rating.  When I started hearing "moans" and bow chicka wow wow music, I looked over and they were even showing boobies!  Ummm....hell no!  And that, my friends, is why there will be no rated M games for my kids.  To be honest, I don't even like hubby playing it.  But whatever.  He mostly plays the popular games like God of War, Modern Warfare, and Infamous.  He's also a kid at heart and plays Batman and Superman games, too, haha!

Tell me about video games in your home.  Which ones do you like?  What rules do you have for your kids?

Are we wrong as parents??

Parenting is not easy.  We all know that.  But some things arise that seem silly at first, but then later on make you wonder if you did the right thing. 

Here's the deal:  As I'm in Bubblicious's room hanging up laundry one night, he informs me that he wants me to buy him some skinny jeans.  (Note:  Bubbalicious is one of many names I have for my almost 9-year-old son.)  (Another note:  I HATE skinny jeans on the male gender.)  So, I just mumbled something like "Oh, really.  Wow!" and he started talking about something else.  End of discussion, right?  I couldn't get that lucky.

So, a few nights later, my lovely mommy and step-dad were over visiting, and I had walked out of the room, but everyone else, including hubby and kids, were all chit-chatting.  Bubbalicious once again brought up these not-so-fabulous skinny jeans that he wants.  I think he did it at that moment because "Ma" is always buying her favorite (and only) grandkids new clothes and goodies.  I'm pretty sure he thought he could say that he wanted them, and next time Ma came over, she would bring them.

Lucky for me, and unlucky for Bubbs, Hubby was there when the skinny jeans convo came up.  As soon as the words came out of Bubbs' mouth, Hubby exclaimed "NO WAY!  You are not going to be wearing skinny jeans!"  Since I wasn't in the room, I didn't hear if there was ever a reason given to him as to why he cannot wear skinny jeans, but in a way, I think it may be better to not have a reason. 

Like it or not, we parents are role models.  Some better than others.  And, as the older I get, I can really notice how the majority of kids grow up to be similar to their parents.  None of us actually want to admit that we are like our parents, but the truth is, well....the truth hurts!  hahaha!

So, what got me to thinking about this whole skinny jeans situation, is are we wrong for telling him no, just because we don't like skinny jeans?  It's not that we are trying to mold him to be just like us, because that is sooo not what we intend.

Hubby and I talked privately about why we both, at separate times, discouraged the skinny jeans.  In our opinions, we think that style of jeans look great.  On GIRLS.  And girls only.  Now, I know that is being totally judgemental.  But that is the truth of how I feel.  I know that skinny jeans are wildly popular with dudes, just as much as it is with the ladies, so please don't send me hate mail.  It's just my opinion and I'm entitled to that. 

I want my kids to have their opinions, their own style, and their own way of doing things.  In a way, I feel bad for not letting Bubbs wear the pants he wants, but where do we draw the line?  If he wanted to wear a dress, I would not let him.  Thank the Lord that was not what he asked for.  But if he asked for a neon-green pair of Nike shoes, I'd probably be okay with that.  It's just a matter of what type of clothing it is.

I think the main reason we don't agree on the skinny jeans, is because as parents, we don't want our children to have to deal with any negative attention.  I know that going to school is rough, without any extra attention on what the kids wear.  I know there would be some kids that would make fun of boys wearing skinny jeans.  But then again, obviously he has seen someone wearing them, or why else would he ask for them?

Maybe I am over-analyzing this way too much.  He has not said anything else about them since Hubby said no.  So, what do you think?  Would you let your 3rd grade son wear skinny jeans, and why or why not?